Turtle creek man arrested after fleeing trial and assaulting officer
The metal handcuffs on black background. Handcuff or shackle. Police handcuffs.

Turtle Creek Man Arrested After Fleeing Trial and Assaulting Officer

by
December 13, 2023
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PITTSBURGH, PA – Sheriff Kevin M. Kraus announced the arrest of a Turtle Creek man, Alphonso Francis, 28, who failed to appear for his trial’s conclusion last week. Francis was on trial for dragging a police officer with his car during a traffic stop in May of last year.

The trial, which began on December 4, 2023, before Judge Elliot Howsie, addressed charges including aggravated assault. This relates to an incident on Clairton Boulevard where a Whitehall police officer was dragged over 200 feet.

Francis, who was apprehended in March after nearly a year on the run, did not appear for the third day of the trial and had severed his electronic monitoring bracelet. Despite his absence, the trial proceeded, and he was convicted of aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, and two firearms violations.

Following a lead, detectives located Francis in a residence on Fairview Avenue in Glassport. Upon their arrival on Tuesday evening, Francis initially tried to flee but was apprehended after realizing he was surrounded.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton

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