DA: Man allegedly breaks into home, threatens woman with knife in Mount Pleasant
PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR AT FOUR STARTS NOW. HEY EVERYBODY. THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE FOR PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR AT 4:00. I’M KELLY SASSO AND GOOD AFTERNOON, I’M ANDREW STOCKEY. AS WE START A NEW WEEK TOGETHER, WEATHER DOMINATES OUR TOP FOUR STORIES AT 4:00. LET’S GO AHEAD AND START WITH THAT LIVE LOOK OUTSIDE. IN ADDITION TO THE COLD, WE ARE ALSO UNDER A CODE ORANGE AIR QUALITY ACTION DAY. THE MONITORS IN THE MON VALLEY ARE SHOWING ELEVATED PARTICLE READINGS, AND THAT CAN POSE A HAZARD FOR THE VERY YOUNG, THE ELDERLY, AND ALSO THOSE WITH RESPIRATORY ISSUES. WE’VE BEEN DIGGING OUT NOW FOR ABOUT AN ENTIRE WEEK. MAYOR CORY CONNOR, GIVING AN UPDATE ON THE CITY’S SNOW REMOVAL PROGRESS. TEMPERATURES STAYING COLD. SNOW PILES HAVE BEEN GETTING HIGHER ON THE SIDES OF STREETS, AND FROM THE SNOW TO THE ICE. WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF INCIDENTS OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SPOTTED WALKING OUT ONTO THE ICY RIVERS, EMERGENCY OFFICIALS WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW DANGEROUS THAT IS. ALL IT WOULD TAKE, THEY SAY, IS ONE THIN SPOT AND YOU COULD BE SWEPT UNDER THE MOVING WATER BENEATH THE CALENDAR AND PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL ARE BOTH IN AGREEMENT. SIX MORE WEEKS OF WINTER, THE GROUNDHOG SEEING A SHOW THIS MORNING AT GOBBLER’S KNOB. FOR THE RECORD, THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING IS MARCH 20TH. NOT THAT WE’RE FOCUSED ON THAT, OF COURSE. AND THOSE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES. AT 4:00 ON THIS MONDAY AFTERNOON. TIME NOW FOR MORE OF PITTSBURGH’S ACTION. WEATHER, EVEN MORE THAN THE EVENT THAT IS GROUNDHOG DAY, I’VE BEEN FOCUSED ON THE MOVIE ABOUT GROUNDHOG DAY. YOU KNOW, THE ONE, BILL MURRAY. AND IT JUST IT FEELS LIKE WE’RE STUCK IN THAT. IT IS JUST THE SAME DAY OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. YEAH, IT’S BEEN LIKE THAT FOR AT LEAST ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF, IF NOT LONGER. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE SNOW WE’VE SEEN IN DECEMBER, JANUARY, THEY’RE THE SAME. SO WE’VE BEEN STUCK IN THIS PATTERN. WE ARE GOING TO TRY AND BREAK IT THOUGH. THIS WEEK IS ROLLER COASTER RIDE OF TEMPERATURES. WE’RE ON THE UPSWING NOW. THEY’LL DROP A BIT IN THE MIDDLE PORTION OF THE WEEK BEFORE THEY GO BACK UP. AS WE HEAD INTO NEXT WEEK, WE’RE ALSO WATCHING A COUPLE OF SNOW CHANCES AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE WEEK. NO MAJOR SNOW AROUND, BUT THE BEST CHANCE IS FRIDAY. THAT WILL PROMPT AN IMPACT DAY AND THEN IMPACT DAYS THROUGH THE WEEKEND, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. THAT WILL BE FOR THE COLD THAT IS COMING AS WE HEAD INTO THE WEEKEND FOR TOMORROW, A WEAK SYSTEM PASSES BY TO A SOUTH OR WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES IN EFFECT FOR THE I-68 CORRIDOR THAT GOES INTO EFFECT TONIGHT AND LASTS THROUGH THE DAY TOMORROW, EXPECTING AN INCH OR SO THERE. LOW TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE 20S. WAYNESBURG IS AT 30. IT’S 28 IN PITTSBURGH AND BEAVER RIGHT NOW. SAME THING IN WASHINGTON. THIS IS WARMER THAN WE WERE AT ANY POINT LAST WEEK. SO IT’S BEEN A WEEK SINCE WE’VE BEEN IN THE UPPER 2030. TOMORROW, SOME OF US MAY BREAK FREEZING SNOW SHOWERS. THERE’S THAT DIP WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY FOR A FRIDAY WITH SOME SNOW AROUND BACK TO 30, AND WE WILL BREAK FREEZING. THAT’S AT THE END THOUGH, OF YOUR 4-DAY PLUS 4 MORE BETWEEN THIS LITTLE BIT OF A RELIEF IN THE TEMPERATURES AND MOST KIDS GOING BACK TO SCHOOL, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE ENOUGH TO GET US THROUGH. YES, ALMOST LIKE WE WENT BACK TO NORMAL YESTERDAY. HOW IT SHOULD BE. ALL RIGHT, BRIAN, THANKS SO MUCH. WE’LL SEE YOU IN JUST A LITTLE BIT. AND LET’S GO AHEAD AND STAY FOCUSED ON THAT ICE HERE FOR A MINUTE. AS WE LOOK LIVE FROM THE ACTION CAM, YOU CAN JUST SEE THAT ICE BUILDUP ON THE ALLEGHENY GETTING REALLY THICK. AND PLACES NEAR DOWNTOWN. IT LOOKS LIKE A SOLID SHEET OF ICE. AND WE’VE SEEN PEOPLE ACTUALLY TRYING TO WALK ON IT. NOT A GOOD IDEA. YOU MAY REMEMBER LAST WEDNESDAY, POLICE TOOK A MAN INTO CUSTODY WHO WAS WALKING ON THE ICE NEAR THE BRIDGE. POLICE SAY HE WALKED ON THE RIVER FOR OVER THREE HOURS ALTOGETHER, SPANNING MORE THAN SIX MILES. THEN WANT TO SHOW YOU THIS IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, OVER THE WEEKEND, PEOPLE WERE SEEN WALKING ON THE ICY RIVER NEAR THE NORTH SHORE. THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, AUTHORITIES HAVE ISSUED WARNINGS TO TELL PEOPLE NOT TO DO THIS AND REALLY JUST FOCUSING ON THE DANGER THAT ICE CAN POSE, EVEN IF IT DOES LOOK SOLID. AND KELLY, THAT LEADS US TO THIS AFTERNOON AND PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER FELICITY TAYLOR JUST SPOKE WITH THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH EMS CHIEF ABOUT THOSE DANGERS AND JOINS US LIVE. FELICITY. WELL, ANDREW, LIKE YOU SAID, WE SAW THOSE PEOPLE WALKING ON THE RIVER THIS WEEKEND AND PUBLIC SAFETY SAID THEY ALSO RECEIVED A TON OF 911 CALLS ABOUT PEOPLE WALKING ON THE RIVER. THOUGH THIS IS NOT ILLEGAL, IT’S JUST EXTREMELY UNSAFE. THEY SAY JUST BECAUSE THE ICE MAY LOOK AND FEEL SOLID, IT IS NOT. RIVER WATER, OF COURSE, IS CONTINUOUSLY MOVING, SO IT’S NOT THE SAME CASE AS A POND OR A LAKE. A STAGNANT BODY OF WATER. THE ICE IS JUST DOESN’T GO ALL THE WAY DOWN. THEY SAY THERE COULD BE CRACKS AND FISSURES IN THE ICE WHERE YOU CANNOT SEE THEM, AND IT’S CONSTANTLY CHANGING. AND SOMETHING ELSE TO NOTE PEOPLE AREN’T JUST WALKING ON THE RIVERS, THEY’RE PLAYING AROUND, MAYBE SLIPPING AND SLIDING. SLIDING, WHICH IS DOING MORE TO POTENTIALLY CAUSE A CRACK IN THE ICE. I DON’T THINK THAT THE IMMEDIATE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THE DANGERS OF WALKING ON THE ICE. IT TAKES ABOUT 4 TO 5IN OF SOLID ICE TO BE ABLE TO HOLD AN ADULT PERSON, AND THERE’S NO WAY TO TELL THE THICKNESS OF THE ICE. AND IN WHICH PLACES THE ICE IS THICKER OR THINNER AT ANY TIME. YOU CAN SLIP, FALL, BREAK THROUGH THE ICE, GET SUBMERGED UNDERWATER. AND IF SOMEONE DOES FALL THROUGH THE ICE, OF COURSE THAT WATER IS SO COLD. EMS SAYS IT CAN TAKE JUST UP TO TEN MINUTES TO BECOME HYPOTHERMIC, AND THOSE HYPOTHERMIA WOULD BE IRREVERSIBLE. EVEN WHEN EMS COULD GET TO YOU AND EMS. THEY HAVE SPECIAL SUITS AND GEAR TO RESPOND IN THESE TEMPERATURES. BUT EVEN FOR THEM, THERE IS A CHANCE OF HYPOTHERMIA. SO IF YOU DO WALK ON THE RIVER, THEY SAY, NOT ONLY ARE YOU RISKING YOUR OWN LIFE, BUT YOU’RE RISKING THE LIVES OF THE FIRST RESPONDERS WHO NEED TO COME TRY TO SAVE YOU. COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY IN PITTSBURGH, SHADYSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD I’M FELICITY TAYLOR, PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. YEAH, NOT WORTH IT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. THANKS FOR THOSE REMINDERS, FELICITY. AND AS PART OF PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR’S INTERVIEW WITH THE EMS CHIEF THERE THAT YOU JUST SAW, SHE ALSO BRIEFLY DISCUSSED THE RESCUE EFFORTS LAST WEEK AFTER THE DRIVER HIT A SNOWBANK ON THE SIDE OF THE PARKWAY EAST THAT SENT HER CAR PLUNGING 120FT INTO THE ICY MON RIVER. STATE POLICE ARE NOW ASKING ANYONE WHO SAW THE CRASH THAT KILLED JACINTA STEPHENS TO PLEASE COME FORWARD. DIVERS PULLED THE 31 YEAR OLD FROM HER CAR, BUT SHE DIED AT THE HOSPITAL. INVESTIGATORS SAY HER SUV IS STILL SUBMERGED IN THE MUD AND FOR SAFETY REASONS, THEY SAY THEY’RE GOING TO WAIT TO REMOVE IT UNTIL THE RIVER HAS MORE OF A THAW. WELL, THIS AFTERNOON, PITTSBURGH MAYOR COREY O’CONNOR MET WITH DPW OFFICIALS IN HIS OFFICE TO ASSESS THE CITY’S RESPONSE TO OUR RECENT SNOWSTORMS, BREAKDOWNS AND CHALLENGES WITH THE CITY. SNOWPLOWS LEFT MAIN STREETS UNTOUCHED FOR DAYS, COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY THIS AFTERNOON IS PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER KALEA GUNDERSON, WHO JOINS US LIVE. SO, KELLY, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE MAIN TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS MEETING TODAY? WELL, ANDREW KELLY, WE GOT TO SIT IN ON THAT ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION AND HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, AS WELL AS THE MAYOR, ABOUT WHAT THE CHALLENGES WERE THAT THEY FACE WHEN RESPONDING TO THIS STORM. MAYOR COREY O’CONNOR ASKED THEM WHAT THEY COULD DO DIFFERENTLY MOVING FORWARD TO CLEAR STREETS MORE EFFICIENTLY. AND A LOT OF THAT CONVERSATION KEPT COMING BACK TO TWO KEY ISSUES THE CITY’S FLEET, WHICH AT ONE POINT WAS DOWN AROUND 30 TRUCKS THAT NEEDED REPAIRS. SECONDLY, A NEED FOR MORE TRAINING FOR NEWER PLOW DRIVERS. AND THIS MEETING COMES JUST DAYS AFTER TWO NONPROFIT DONATIONS WERE MADE TO THE CITY, ALLOWING THE CITY TO PURCHASE 50 NEW PLOW TRUCKS AHEAD OF NEXT WINTER. MAYOR O’CONNOR SAID PLACING THOSE ORDERS IS TOP OF HIS TO DO LIST. 50 NOW, AND WE’RE GOING THROUGH THE BREAKDOWN OF WHAT TYPES. YOU KNOW MORE. ARE THEY MORE TRACTOR BASED? ARE THEY MORE, YOU KNOW, JUST YOUR STANDARD PLOW OR ARE THEY SMALLER OR LARGER? YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT’S THE CONVERSATION. BUT WE’RE GOING TO SOLVE THAT TONIGHT AND PLACE THAT ORDER HOPEFULLY FIRST THING TOMORROW. AND HE SAID DUE TO A BACKLOG, THE CITY WILL BE REACHING OUT TO SEVERAL VENDORS TO TRY TO GET THIS 50 PLOW TRUCK ORDER PLACED. KELLY. ANDREW. OKAY, SO KATIE, WE’RE HEARING THERE A LOT OF CHALLENGES, A LOT OF THINGS THEY NEED TO WORK THROUGH. WERE THERE ANY POSITIVE TAKEAWAYS ABOUT THE CITY’S RESPONSE? YES, THEY DID NOTE A FEW THINGS THEY SAID WENT REALLY WELL. ONE OF THOSE WAS WORKING WITH THE CONTRACTORS THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO CALL IN TO USE AS BACKUP TO HELP THEM ON CITY STREETS. THEY SAID THEY WERE AT THE READY TO GO AS SOON AS THEY NEEDED THEM. ANOTHER ONE WAS HOW THEY HAD OUTFITTED PARKS TRUCKS TO USE THOSE AS SNOWPLOWS, SO THEY HAVE AROUND 20 PARKS TRUCKS THAT THEY’RE USING UNTIL THE END OF THIS SEASON AT LEAST. AND THEN THOSE WILL GO BACK TO THEIR INTENDED USE. COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY TONIGHT IN REGENT SQUARE KALEA GUNDERSON PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. AND KELLY, WE HAVE THIS REMINDER FOR VIEWERS. GARBAGE AND RECYCLING COLLECTION IN PITTSBURGH RESUMED TODAY. THE CITY SUSPENDED ALL COLLECTIONS AFTER LAST SUNDAY’S SNOWSTORM. SINCE THE COLLECTION IS BIWEEKLY, NEIGHBORS WHO MISSED LAST WEEK WILL WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK. HOUSEHOLDS SCHEDULED FOR THIS WEEK WILL HAVE TRASH COLLECTED ON THEIR NORMAL DAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL, WE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF HAPPY PARENTS TODAY. AFTER MORE THAN A WEEK, CLASSES ARE NOW BACK IN SESSION AT MOST SCHOOLS ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. WE SAW ALLDERDICE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BUNDLED UP HEAD TO TOE FOR THEIR FIRST DAY BACK TODAY. NOW, THERE WERE STILL A COUPLE OF DELAYS OUT THERE. MANY DISTRICTS ALSO CAUTIONED FAMILIES ABOUT GETTING TO SCHOOL THIS MORNING, WITH THERE STILL BEING A LOT OF SNOW OUT THERE. MEANTIME, SOME POINT PARK STUDENTS ARE STAYING IN A HOTEL AFTER A PIPE BURST IN A DORM. THIS ALL HAPPENED OVER THE WEEKEND AT LAWRENCE HALL. 21 STUDENTS IN ALL WERE RELOCATED. UNIVERSITY HOPES TO HAVE THEM RETURN TO THEIR ROOMS BY THE END OF THIS WEEK. AND SPEAKING OF BURST PIPES, A LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER SAYS THE EXTREME COLD WE’VE BEEN EXPERIENCING IS COSTING HIM THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. A FROZEN PIPE HAS FORCED WONDER BAR, COFFEE AND BISTRO IN BELLEVUE TO CLOSE UP SHOP SINCE FRIDAY, THE OWNER SAYS FOUR PLUMBERS HAVE TRIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT WITH NO LUCK. TEN PEOPLE ARE WITHOUT WORK WHILE THE COFFEE SHOP IS CLOSED. AS WE CONTINUE TO NAVIGATE THIS TRICKY WINTER SEASON, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE OUR FREE WTAE APP DOWNLOADED. IT IS A REALLY GOOD RESOURCE FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO HAVE, SO YOU CAN MAKE PLANS TO STAY SAFE. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST HIGH PROFILE HOMICIDE CASES IN WESTMORELAND COUNTY IN RECENT YEARS. TODAY, JURY SELECTION BEGAN FOR THOMAS STANKO. STANKO IS ACCUSED OF KILLING CASSANDRA GROSS BACK IN 2018. GROSS WAS REPORTED MISSING IN APRIL OF 2018, AND WAS LATER DEEMED LEGALLY DEAD. STANKO IS FACING MULTIPLE CHARGES, INCLUDING HOMICIDE. EVEN AS GROSS’S BODY WAS NEVER FOUND, WESTMORELAND BUREAU REPORTER ED DIORIO WAS THE ONLY REPORTER IN THE COURTROOM TODAY FOR THE BEGINNING OF THIS TRIAL. HE JOINS US LIVE INSIDE THE WESTMORELAND COUNTY COURTHOUSE. SO, ED, DO WE HAVE A JURY AS OF YET? WE’RE PRETTY CLOSE TO THAT, ANDREW. AT LAST CHECK WITH THE STAFF OF JUDGE MICHAEL STEWART HERE IN WESTMORELAND COUNTY. LAST CHECK. ABOUT AN HOUR AGO, WE HAD TEN JURORS WHO WERE SELECTED. 80 PEOPLE WERE BROUGHT IN TODAY, AND WE ARE CLOSE TO HAVING A JURY THAT WILL HEAR THE CASE OF THOMAS STANKO. LET’S REFRESH YOUR MEMORY OF THAT CASE AND THE DETAILS THAT WE KNOW. EVEN THOUGH GROSS, AS YOU GUYS MENTIONED, WENT MISSING IN 2018, STANKO WAS A PERSON OF INTEREST. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT, HOWEVER, HE WAS NOT CHARGED WITH HOMICIDE UNTIL 2022. NOW STANKO IS HERE INSIDE THE COURTHOUSE TODAY AND PROCEEDINGS AND INTERVIEWS FOR THAT JURY ARE STILL GOING ON. SO IF STANKO IS ESCORTED BACK TO A SHERIFF’S DEPUTY VEHICLE, BACK TO THE WESTMORELAND COUNTY PRISON, WE HOPE TO CATCH HIM THERE AND SEE IF WE CAN GET A COMMENT OR TWO. AND IF WE DO, YOU’LL SEE THAT AT FIVE AND 6:00. BUT AS KELLY MENTIONED, GROSS’S BODY WAS NEVER FOUND AND MULTIPLE ITEMS OF HER WERE FOUND BURNED ON STANKO’S PROPERTY ALONG WITH HER CAR, WHICH WAS ALSO BURNED OVER A TWIN LAKES. PARKS. KELLY AND ANDREW. WELL, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW HIGHLY PUBLICIZED THIS CASE HAS BEEN OVER THE YEARS. HAS IT BEEN HARD FOR THEM TO FIND JURORS WHO HAVEN’T ALREADY FORMED OPINIONS OR DON’T HAVE SOME SORT OF CONNECTION TO THIS CASE IN ANY WAY? OH, YES. APPARENTLY, KELLY NO IS THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE TEN JURORS SELECTED. AND WHEN I WAS TALKING TO THE STAFF, A PART OF THAT INTERVIEW PROCESS, THEY SAID THAT A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE HAVE MET THE CRITERIA AND ARE WORTHY OF BEING ON THIS JURY. SO WE EXPECT THIS JURY TO BE FULL, IF NOT TODAY, BY EARLY TOMORROW. TOMORROW IS ANOTHER SCHEDULED DAY FOR THAT JURY SELECTION PROCESS AND TESTIMONY WILL BEGIN IN THIS TRIAL ON WEDNESDAY. WE’LL HAVE MORE DETAILS ABOUT THIS CASE AND HOW IT LEADS UP TO TODAY, AND WHY IT’S TAKEN NEARLY EIGHT YEARS FOR US TO GET TO THIS DAY, TO THE START OF THE TRIAL, COMING UP IN THE FULL REPORT AT 5:00, COVERING
DA: Man allegedly breaks into home, threatens woman with knife in Mount Pleasant
Updated: 4:26 PM EST Feb 2, 2026
Police said a man is being held in the Westmoreland County Prison after he allegedly broke into a home and threatened a woman with a knife in Mount Pleasant on Sunday. VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Feb. 2, 2026 The Westmoreland County DA’s Office said officers were called to a home along Frick Avenue after a 911 call reported that a man had entered the home and threatened a woman with a knife before leaving the scene.A neighbor told responding officers that the victim’s son allegedly chased the suspect toward Diamond Street. Officers later found the victim’s son, who pointed out the man who was the alleged suspect. That man was identified as 41-year-old Daniel Sebulsky. Sebulsky refused to stop for officers and took off running, the DA’s office said. Mount Pleasant police, with assistance from Scottdale police and Park police’s K-9 unit, chased after the suspect, who managed to jump over a fence with barbed wire. The suspect, however, jumped into an enclosed area and was not able to run further from police. Sebulsky was detained by police after he surrendered, the DA’s office said. He was remanded to the Westmoreland County Prison after failing to post $250,000 bail. He faces multiple charges, including burglary, attempt to run from police, and terroristic threats. Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Pa. —
Police said a man is being held in the Westmoreland County Prison after he allegedly broke into a home and threatened a woman with a knife in Mount Pleasant on Sunday.
VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Feb. 2, 2026
The Westmoreland County DA’s Office said officers were called to a home along Frick Avenue after a 911 call reported that a man had entered the home and threatened a woman with a knife before leaving the scene.
A neighbor told responding officers that the victim’s son allegedly chased the suspect toward Diamond Street.
Officers later found the victim’s son, who pointed out the man who was the alleged suspect. That man was identified as 41-year-old Daniel Sebulsky.
Sebulsky refused to stop for officers and took off running, the DA’s office said.
Mount Pleasant police, with assistance from Scottdale police and Park police’s K-9 unit, chased after the suspect, who managed to jump over a fence with barbed wire. The suspect, however, jumped into an enclosed area and was not able to run further from police.
Sebulsky was detained by police after he surrendered, the DA’s office said. He was remanded to the Westmoreland County Prison after failing to post $250,000 bail.
He faces multiple charges, including burglary, attempt to run from police, and terroristic threats.
Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.