A former Penn Hills police officer has been accused of intentionally spinning out another driver and later resisting arrest in Plum.
Dennis Pape, 49, faces misdemeanor charges of recklessly endangering another person, obstructing administration of law or other government and resisting arrest in addition to some summary charges.
According to a criminal complaint filed in the case, Pape performed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver on another driver for attempting to pass him on Universal Road in Plum on June 26. The PIT maneuver, which officers said only state police are authorized to execute, is used to end vehicular pursuits by intentionally colliding with another car in a specific way and causing it to spin out.
Allegheny County 911 dispatchers heard one of the drivers threaten to shoot the other, according to the complaint.
When Plum and Penn Hills police arrived, officers said Pape asked for “a little courtesy,” since he had been an officer for more than 20 years. When they attempted to calm him down, police said, Pape repeatedly berated the officers and would not obey instructions to remain by his vehicle.
As a Plum police officer attempted to push Pape toward his vehicle, he struck the officer’s hand, the complaint said. Multiple officers then pinned Pape to the back of his car and attempted to place him in handcuffs, according to the complaint.
Pape allegedly tensed his arms and kept them at his side, which caused the arrest process to take more than 30 seconds, police said.
Pape confirmed on scene that he had swerved and hit the other driver, saying “basically it was like a ‘PIT’ maneuver,” according to the complaint.
Pape is not listed as a police officer on the Penn Hills website. The last time he was listed as an officer there was 2023.
His preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 20 before District Judge Michael Doyle.
