A man attempting to evade the law while facing vehicular homicide charges was apprehended in the borough of Vandergrift on Friday.
The suspect has been identified as Mattew David Carlson, 35. Carlson has been charged with felony vehicular homicide and vehicular aggravated assault while driving under the influence for an incident that occurred December 17, 2022, in Pittsburgh.
Officers from no less than nine police departments were in hot pursuit of the suspect in the business district of Vandergrift. A SWAT team was also dispatched to the scene. Authorities searched yards and went from house to house in the neighborhood.
Roads in the neighborhood were shut down until police were able to arrest the assailant. He was located in the basement of the Wooden Door Winery, which was not open at the time. Law enforcement stated that the suspect broke in through the back door of the building.
Police used a drone and a K-9 unit to track down Carlson, who was unarmed and surrendered. Law enforcement initially tried to apprehend him the previous night, but he successfully fled. He will be facing additional charges such as escape and resisting arrest.
Local resident Alexis Pasculle stated, “This is terrifying, I have a 9-month-old daughter. I don’t want to be afraid to leave my house, I don’t want to be afraid to walk the streets I live on.”
Vandergrift Police Officer Jerrod Thompson said, “It did end in a peaceful resolution to the situation, and nobody was injured. I’d like to thank all the departments around there that helped us out, especially the SWAT team.”
People in the area were sure to have their nerves frazzled during the incident due to a deadly standoff with authorities occurring just two days prior in the Garfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh. This situation has however ended in a better outcome for the suspect, which cannot be said of the confrontation on Wednesday.
