Police subdue driver after chase through McCandless and Ross

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Ross police said they believe a man who was being chased in a stolen car may have intentionally crashed into a utility pole before he tried to rush at a police officer who then subdued him with a Taser.

The driver, identified as Sean L. McKnight, 46, of McCandless, was taken to a hospital, but his condition was not disclosed.

Ross police Sgt. Benjamin Dripps said it appeared that McKnight intentionally struck the pole, which caused his car to flip over on its side.

The incident began around 10:30 a.m. when McCandless police responded to a 911 call reporting that McKnight, who had a warrant on charges of burglary for allegedly stealing his parents’ car, had just thrown a brick through the window of his parents’ house, according to McCandless police Chief David DiSanti Sr.

By the time officers arrived, McKnight was gone, so they put out an alert to other departments to be on the lookout for the car, Chief DiSanti said.

A short time later, McKnight was spotted driving on Babcock Boulevard in a Chevrolet Impala and was pulled over by Ross police but refused to get out of his car, Sgt. Dripps said.

He sped away, and when other police attempted to stop the car, McKnight rammed several police cars and fled again, Sgt. Dripps said.

Police followed the Impala as it headed north on Babcock until the car struck a pole and flipped on its side in the 5400 block of Babcock Boulevard at 10:56 a.m.

Sgt. Dripps said the driver got out of the car and charged at an officer, who knocked him down and used a Taser to subdue him.

The crashed knocked out power to several businesses.

Chief DiSanti said McKnight had made statements about wanting to end his life.

He praised Ross police for their handling of the incident.

“The professionalism and poise of the officers involved was outstanding in the apprehension of this individual,” he said.

“They did a very, very nice job keeping their poise in a tough situation.”