The Robinson Township police officer charged with two counts of assault in connection with an incident that occurred while he was off duty two months ago has been terminated.
Township Solicitor Jack Cambest confirmed that the township Board of Commissioners, at a special meeting held Aug. 27, voted to terminate Officer Steven Paul Pies.
The 50-year-old Pies was arraigned on a felony charge of aggravated assault and a misdemeanor charge of simple assault last month, and is awaiting a preliminary hearing to determine if he must face those charges in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court.
Pies’ preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4, before Magisterial District Judge Bruce J. Boni. He was released on $20,000 unsecured bail on Aug. 6 following his arraignment.
Pies had been placed on paid administrative leave July 3. Authorities maintain that Pies was involved in an altercation with a local business owner named Alan Cannella on July 2 and that altercation resulted in the pending criminal charges.
According to an affidavit of probable cause that is part of a criminal complaint filed by county police Detective Lt. Venerando Costa, Cannella told Robinson Township police on July 8 that he was the victim of an assault that occurred at 60 Forest Grove Road following a traffic incident at the intersection of Forest Grove Road and State Route 51.
The affidavit states that Cannella had contacted his doctor on July 7 because he was experiencing side pain, and X-rays showed that he had two fractured ribs and a possible third rib fracture. That prompted Cannella to report the incident to Robinson police, who began their investigation.
A week later, the affidavit states, Cannella told a Robinson police detective he believed Pies was the suspect. At that point, Robinson police turned the investigation over to county police.
In a July 16 interview, Cannella told Costa that between 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on July 2, he was driving to his business – Al’s Service, also known as Al’s Texaco — to pick up some belongings when he inadvertently went through a yield sign while turning right onto Forest Grove Road from State Route 51.
According to the affidavit, Cannella told Costa he saw a white Dodge Ram pickup truck turning left on Forest Grove Road, and Cannella sounded his horn before maneuvering around the Dodge Ram, believing the driver of that vehicle was in the wrong.
The affidavit states that Cannella told Costa he proceeded along Forest Grove Road for about two miles and pulled into his business’ parking lot. Cannella told Costa that the Dodge Ram followed him into the parking lot and that both he and the driver of the Ram exited their vehicles.
According to the affidavit, the 5-foot-10, 180-pound Pies began yelling at Cannella for failing to obey the yield sign. When Cannella did not respond, the affidavit states, Pies punched Cannella in the jaw, causing him to fall backward into his truck and lose consciousness.
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