EmailEmail
PrintPrint
Gunfight suspect held without bail
Bond revoked for Wilkinsburg man
Wednesday, June 08, 2005

Keith Carter, the Wilkinsburg man arrested Saturday after a gunfight with Pittsburgh police in Homewood, won't be leaving the Allegheny County Jail anytime soon.

In separate hearings yesterday, two Allegheny County Common Pleas judges ordered Carter, 19, held without bail after revoking bonds totaling $211,000 set after his arrest Saturday and in three previous cases.

District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr.'s office requested that Carter's bonds be revoked, arguing that he presented an extreme danger to the community "because of both the nature and number of offenses," said Zappala spokesman Michael Manko.

When Saturday's shootout occurred, Carter was free on $5,000 bond posted after his arrest on charges that he fired a machine gun at police on Jan. 1. That angered police officials, who contended this week that the bond should have been higher.

Common Pleas Judge Donald E. Machen yesterday revoked the $200,000 bond set Saturday by District Judge Robert Wyda after he arraigned Carter on attempted homicide, aggravated assault and other charges. Machen also revoked the $5,000 bond Carter posted after the January shooting.

Common Pleas Judge Kathleen A. Durkin revoked the $1,000 bond that Carter posted after he was arrested July 20 for possession of a controlled substance and two traffic violations and the $5,000 bond he posted after another arrest Aug. 28 for possession of a controlled substance.

Carter, who was awaiting trial in the two drug cases, already had forfeited his $5,000 bond in the Aug. 28 arrest because he failed to appear for a hearing in April. A warrant was issued last month for his arrest.

He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing tomorrow on charges stemming from Saturday's shooting.

First published on June 8, 2005 at 12:00 am
Cindi Lash can be reached at clash@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1973.