State police say 2 jailed after stealing car, leading troopers on wild cross-county pursuit

State troopers Saturday arrested a man and a woman accused of stealing a car at an Indiana County Walmart, leading troopers on a cross-county pursuit that required numerous attempts to immobilize the vehicle.

At 5:44 p.m. Friday, troopers were called to investigate a reported stolen vehicle at the Walmart at 3100 Oakland Ave. in White Township.

When the blue 1986 Pontiac 6000 was stolen from the parking lot, it was unoccupied with the ignition key on the dashboard, troopers said.

Responding troopers located the car and attempted a traffic stop along Route 422 in Armstrong County, but the driver of the car, Michael Antonio Pucciarelli, 34, of Pittsburgh, kept driving, troopers said.

Pucciarelli continued to ignore demands of troopers to pull over, and he continued driving west on Route 422, police said.

Troopers then used a technique to immobilize the Pontiac, deflating its left rear tire, but the pursuit continued, police said.

Another immobilization tactic was used by troopers but Pucciarelli was able to continue driving, troopers said. He regained control of the vehicle and headed in the opposite direction on Route 422.

While the pursuit was ongoing, a trooper stationed on Route 422 near its intersection with Margaret Road, Cowanshannock Township, laid spike strips in the road. The move flattened the car’s right front tire, but Pucciarelli was still able to drive and the pursuit continued, troopers said.

Several troopers tried again to get Pucciarelli to stop, but he rammed the Pontiac into the passenger side of a state police vehicle, troopers said.

What eventually got Pucciarelli to stop, police said, was when a trooper used another immobilization technique and a second trooper used his vehicle to pin the Pontiac against the guide rail to prevent escape.

A third trooper drove his car in front of the Pontiac, ending the pursuit in Plumcreek Township.

Pucciarelli and a passenger in the car, Rehny Denise Little, 30, of Homestead, were arrested at the scene.

Troopers said they needed to use a Taser to take Little into custody.

Pucciarelli was charged with felony counts of aggravated assault, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, theft and criminal conspiracy to theft by unlawful taking or disposition. He also faces two misdemeanor criminal mischief charges and 25 summary traffic offenses.

Police charged Little with felony counts of theft and one summary traffic offense.

Pucciarelli and Little were arraigned Saturday morning before District Judge Susanne V. Steffee. Neither were able to post bail, which Steffee set at $100,000 for Pucciarelli and $50,000 for Little.

They were being held held in the Indiana County jail and face Sept. 10 preliminary hearings before Steffee.