Teenager charged with assault against woman

A juvenile from McKees Rocks is being charged as an adult after he assaulted his ex-girlfriend and threatened her with a gun Monday morning, police said.

Police charged James Blakemore, 17, with aggravated assault, burglary, criminal trespassing, receiving stolen property, carrying a firearm without a license, simple assault, harassment and criminal mischief after he allegedly held his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint and beat her.

According to police, officers were first dispatched to the victim’s home on Friendship Avenue in McKees Rocks about 6 a.m., after James approached her there and said he wanted to get back together. When she said no, he threatened her with a gun and fled when she called police. Half an hour later, police were called back to the scene and found the door to her home kicked in, they said.

The victim was inside with a cut lip and the home was in disarray, according to police. She told police James had returned after they left and kicked the door in, choked her, held a gun to her head and threatened to kill her. Neighbors called police when they heard her cry for help.

Police said they also found a pistol that had been stolen in Duquesne. Police also found James’ sweatshirt at the home, and arrested him at a nearby corner store.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 5 at 12:30 p.m.

Pedestrian injured on Parkway West

A pedestrian was critically injured Monday morning after he was hit by a passing car on the Parkway West.

The man was collecting metal scraps along the roadway around 7:30 a.m. near the West Busway ramp in Carnegie when he was hit by a car, Port Authority spokesman Jim Ritchie said. The driver of the vehicle stopped and was cooperative with police on scene, he said.

The victim was in critical condition at the scene and transported to a hospital for surgery, he said.

No word yet on the identity of the victim or the driver.

Wrong-way driving leads to head-on crash

State police said alcohol may have been a factor in a head-on crash early Monday that injured three people on the Parkway East in Beaver County.

Police said both drivers — Matthew Zajdel, 34, of Rochester, and Joshua Travis, 22, of Erie — were flown to UPMC Presbyterian. Their conditions were not released.

Police said Mr. Zajdel was traveling east in the westbound lanes on the Parkway East/Interstate 376 shortly before 1:30 a.m. at mile marker 43 in Center when he collided head-on with a vehicle driven by Mr. Travis.

A passenger in Mr. Travis’ vehicle, Rachel Heinrich, 23, of Waterford, Erie County, was also injured and was taken to Heritage Valley Medical Center.