A parking meter leans over in the 500 block of Merchant Street. Police said Anthony Perri of Ambridge struck the meter with his car after running down two pedestrians.
Two men were taken to a local hospital early Sunday after being struck by a car outside the Colonial Grill, where just last month three people were shot outside the business.
According to Ambridge police, Wallace Ridout, 23, and Cedric Davis, 26, both of Ambridge, were taken to Heritage Valley Sewickley hospital after they were hit while standing outside the bar on the sidewalk.
Police have charged Anthony Perri, 45, of 130 Park Road, Ambridge, with two counts of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and various other misdemeanors.
Ambridge Police Chief James Mann said additional charges of attempted homicide by vehicle could also be filed against Perri. He said this is the second incident that has occurred outside the bar in a little more than a month.
On Dec. 8, police said three people were shot outside the Colonial Grill after a fight erupted inside the bar and ended with gunfire outside. Pittsburgh resident Andrew Oliver Davis, 23, is charged in the shooting, and waived his right to a preliminary hearing last week.
“We’ve had five people almost killed,” Mann said.
Mann said police were again dispatched to the Colonial Grill at 522 Merchant St. at 1:31 a.m. Sunday, when a motor vehicle accident was reported involving two pedestrians struck on the sidewalk.
Police learned that Perri had come to the bar highly intoxicated and was upset when owner Paul Mason wouldn’t let him stay. A fight ensued between Perri and two other patrons, Wallace Ridout and Cedric Davis, before Perri was thrown out.
Police said Perri drove off in his red Mitsubishi sports car down Merchant Street and made a U-Turn at the intersection of Fifth Street, heading back toward the bar. Police said Perri then drove up the sidewalk and ran down Wallace and Ridout. Witnesses told police Ridout flew about 6 to 8 feet into the air like a rag doll.
Perri, meanwhile, continued driving down the sidewalk and struck a parking meter. He then turned right and drove the wrong way, heading east on Sixth Street.
Investigating officers followed fresh tire tracks in the snow onto Melrose Avenue, to Fourth Street and onto Park Road.
On Park Road, police saw a man walking down the middle the road, but had no description of the driver at the time and thought nothing of it. When they returned to the bar and obtained a description from the owner, they realized the man walking down Park Road fit the description.
After police cleared from the Colonial Grill, they began to search for Perri on Park Road, where they located the car and ran the license plate. Police found that the car was registered to Perri and learned that he had recently purchased a home on Park Road.
Police followed the footprints in the snow from the car, and were led directly to 130 Park Road. Police knocked then forced their way inside the home.
Perri was later seen peeking at officers over a fence in the back. Police chased Perri on foot for about a half hour, but lost his tracks several times. Officers decided to return to the police station to enter the report into the criminal log.
Around the same time, police said Perri returned home and called police wanting to report a burglary at his house. Police returned and arrested him at home.
Ridout was taken by private vehicle to the hospital and Wallace was transported by ambulance. Mann was unsure of their conditions, but said their injuries were not life-threatening.
Perri remains in Beaver County Jail unable to post $50,000 bond.
"This is the second major incident in six weeks where things started inside the bar and carried outside on the street."
The Colonial Grill is operating on an a conditional license agreement through the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and certain permit conditions from the borough and county.
Mann said police might have been able to stop the problem from progressing if officers had been notified sooner about a fight inside the bar.
“By the grace of God, nobody has been killed there,” Mann said.
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Police have charged Anthony Perri, 45, of 130 Park Road, Ambridge, with two counts of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and various other misdemeanors.
Ambridge Police Chief James Mann said additional charges of attempted homicide by vehicle could also be filed against Perri. He said this is the second incident that has occurred outside the bar in a little more than a month.
On Dec. 8, police said three people were shot outside the Colonial Grill after a fight erupted inside the bar and ended with gunfire outside. Pittsburgh resident Andrew Oliver Davis, 23, is charged in the shooting, and waived his right to a preliminary hearing last week.
“We’ve had five people almost killed,” Mann said.
Mann said police were again dispatched to the Colonial Grill at 522 Merchant St. at 1:31 a.m. Sunday, when a motor vehicle accident was reported involving two pedestrians struck on the sidewalk.
Police learned that Perri had come to the bar highly intoxicated and was upset when owner Paul Mason wouldn’t let him stay. A fight ensued between Perri and two other patrons, Wallace Ridout and Cedric Davis, before Perri was thrown out.
Police said Perri drove off in his red Mitsubishi sports car down Merchant Street and made a U-Turn at the intersection of Fifth Street, heading back toward the bar. Police said Perri then drove up the sidewalk and ran down Wallace and Ridout. Witnesses told police Ridout flew about 6 to 8 feet into the air like a rag doll.
Perri, meanwhile, continued driving down the sidewalk and struck a parking meter. He then turned right and drove the wrong way, heading east on Sixth Street.
Investigating officers followed fresh tire tracks in the snow onto Melrose Avenue, to Fourth Street and onto Park Road.
On Park Road, police saw a man walking down the middle the road, but had no description of the driver at the time and thought nothing of it. When they returned to the bar and obtained a description from the owner, they realized the man walking down Park Road fit the description.
After police cleared from the Colonial Grill, they began to search for Perri on Park Road, where they located the car and ran the license plate. Police found that the car was registered to Perri and learned that he had recently purchased a home on Park Road.
Police followed the footprints in the snow from the car, and were led directly to 130 Park Road. Police knocked then forced their way inside the home.
Perri was later seen peeking at officers over a fence in the back. Police chased Perri on foot for about a half hour, but lost his tracks several times. Officers decided to return to the police station to enter the report into the criminal log.
Around the same time, police said Perri returned home and called police wanting to report a burglary at his house. Police returned and arrested him at home.
Ridout was taken by private vehicle to the hospital and Wallace was transported by ambulance. Mann was unsure of their conditions, but said their injuries were not life-threatening.
Perri remains in Beaver County Jail unable to post $50,000 bond.
"This is the second major incident in six weeks where things started inside the bar and carried outside on the street."
The Colonial Grill is operating on an a conditional license agreement through the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and certain permit conditions from the borough and county.
Mann said police might have been able to stop the problem from progressing if officers had been notified sooner about a fight inside the bar.
“By the grace of God, nobody has been killed there,” Mann said.
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