Tips lead troopers to man who allegedly stole car, dumped it in Unity lake
Tips from the public led state police to the man who was arrested Wednesday for stealing a car and dumping it in a lake in Unity Township.
Damien J. Kolas, 47, of McKees Rocks, was arraigned on burglary, theft, criminal mischief and related charges in connection with the theft of the car and a separate theft of a $20 gift card and cell phone from a nearby lawn and landscaping center along Route 119 in Hempfield.
Area firefighters, boat rescue teams, divers from the Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department and state police found the stolen car submerged in about five feet of water in Dom Lake, just south of Crabtreeabout 9:45 a.m. Tuesday. The crews worked for about three hours, making sure no occupants were inside the 1997 blue Buick Century before pulling it out of the water about noon.
James Eugene Lewis reported his car stolen after 1:30 a.m. Tuesday and later learned it was the same one firefighters were removing from the lake near his residence.
According to Trooper Joseph Martin, about the same time the car was being pulled from the lake, Trooper Daniel Grabowski was investigating a burglary at Country Farms Garden Center, where a man captured on surveillance video was seen driving the vehicle and wearing a blue, hooded sweatshirt with “Hershey Park” emblazoned on the front burglarized the business about 3 a.m.
On Wednesday, police received another tip that a man matching the description of the suspect was staying at a home in the 100 block of Greenwalt Street “directly across from where the stolen vehicle was crashed,” Martin said in court documents.
When troopers arrived to question Kolas at 8:30 a.m., he “was wearing the same sweatshirt which was worn in the burglary investigation,” police said.
Kolas was ordered held in the county prison by Derry District Judge Mark Bilik after failing to post $30,000 bond.
Kolas also is charged with burglary and theft for allegedly stealing change from van belonging to Lewis’ father at the same home.
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