Jeff Dzamko, the embattled former head of the Spring Garden Neighborhood Council, was arrested Friday night by the Allegheny County sheriff's fugitive task force for failing to appear at a court hearing after being charged with writing bad checks.

Mr. Dzamko, 34, was charged in February 2007 for writing bad checks to the Monroeville branch of N. Glantz and Son, a sign and graphics company.

Mr. Dzamko's Shop 'n Save store in Spring Garden, which opened with a $150,000 loan from the city's Urban Redevelopment Authority, had filed for bankruptcy the previous year. Mr. Dzamko said at the time that the checks bounced because funds were frozen.

Mr. Dzamko, who served as the Neighborhood Council's president from 2005 to 2008, is well-known in local political circles. Yarone Zober, chief of staff for Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, previously served as treasurer for Mr. Dzamko's market. In 2008, Mr. Dzamko often attended the mayor's press conferences and attended the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

This is the second time Mr. Dzamko has been arrested for failing to show at a court hearing stemming from the bad checks case. He was arrested Oct. 25, 2007 for failing to appear at his August arraignment and posted bail that day. Another bench warrant was issued for him in June 2008 when he failed to appear at trial. He was arrested last night on that warrant.

Friday night he was being held without bail at the Allegheny County Jail.

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