Officers, juvenile suspects had to be rescued after fleeing over hillside to escape police

Numerous area first responders assisted in the effort, which took more than four hours.

Footprints in the snow helped Monessen police track three juveniles who allegedly fled a stolen vehicle and ended up needing rescued over a steep hillside Sunday night.

First responders from multiple counties spent several hours Sunday night conducting a large-scale rescue operation in the city after police said three juvenile suspects fled a stolen vehicle.

Westmoreland County 911 said the incident began as a stolen vehicle pursuit.

After the suspects abandoned the vehicle and ran on foot, police detained some of them and requested assistance to bring several people up the hillside near the end of Dennis Avenue, overlooking Route 906 and the Monongahela River.

Monessen Police Chief Dave Yuhasz said all three suspects involved are male juveniles. He was not able to identify them, but said charges are pending.

Yuhasz said Officer Ron Naylor was on patrol when he observed the vehicle and ran its license plate, which came back stolen from Charleroi.

When Naylor attempted to conduct a traffic stop, the vehicle sped up Graham Street until the road dead-ended. The suspects then jumped out and ran.

Following footprints in the snow, officers located two of the individuals over a hillside. The third suspect ran in a different direction and has not been apprehended.

“Because of the snow and ice, that hill is treacherous to begin with, they couldn’t get out,” Yuhasz said. “So we requested fire in to assist. They tried to use UTVs to access them from Morgan Avenue, but that road is overgrown and has been shut down since the ’70s, so the easiest and safest way was to use technical rescue with a rope system.”

Monessen firefighters said the suspects were about 600 feet down.

“The incident started out as what was thought to be a quick removal via UTV. This quickly evolved into a more technical removal as our ‘plan A’ was no longer going to work,” the department stated.

Crews requested Washington Station 33 and 11 to assist in completing rigging of rope systems and sending rescuers over the hill to retrieve multiple people.

As the incident developed, multiple other departments including Murrysville Medic One, Rostraver West Newton EMS, Mon Valley EMS, Fayette EMS, The Westmoreland County Technical Team 148, Rostraver Township Fire Department, Stockdale Fire Department and Lock Four Fire Company all responded to the scene.

After relocating to Dennis Avenue and Pine Street, first responders rappelled over the hill.

Some firefighters were stationed at the top, while others cleared vegetation to allow them to safely get down the hill.

Crews were staged at the top of the hill, midway down, and at the bottom with the patients, the department said.

In addition to both suspects, three law enforcement officers were safely brought up over the hill using haul systems and a stokes basket.

“The City of Monessen VFD No. 1 would like to thank all of the departments for their assistance and teamwork in making this a successful outcome,” the department said in a statement.

Numerous fire departments, police agencies and ambulance crews from neighboring counties were also called to the scene.

The rescue began around 4:30 p.m., and everyone was safely brought up by about 9 p.m., Yuhasz said.

Both juveniles were transported to Penn Highlands Mon Valley Hospital to be evaluated due to exposure to the cold.

One police officer later drove himself to a hospital for treatment of an eye injury, according to a 911 supervisor.

“I really appreciate everyone who came out to assist us and help recover the actors along with the police that were stuck,” Yuhasz said. “We had help from four counties, so many different agencies, and we’re grateful for that.”