3 arrested after attempted armed robbery, crash near Rivers Casino

PITTSBURGH — Three people were arrested Tuesday after an attempted armed robbery ended with a crash near the Rivers Casino on Pittsburgh’s North Side, police said.

Authorities said a man called 911 around 5:10 p.m. and reported that he was driving and that three men, who had attempted to rob him at gunpoint in Manchester, were following him in a separate vehicle. Officers encountered the vehicles near the intersection of Beaver Avenue and Chateau Street. Police said the alleged robbers’ vehicle took off and crashed at Light Hill and Reedsdale Street. No one was injured in the crash.

Chopper 11 flew over the scene and showed several police cars surrounding a vehicle near the Rivers Casino.

Channel 11 News spoke to the alleged victim, 19-year-old John McNealy, who said he's a painter and that the men were responding to his Craigslist wanted ad.

“Three guys came down to help me paint a house, and I told them I’d give them $10 an hour,” McNealy said.

After only an hour, the men demanded money. McNealy said when he told the men that he didn’t get paid until Friday, they began threatening him and brandished a gun.

“He had it on his lap. He was going to pull it out and shoot me,” McNealy said.

He said quick-thinking is what helped him get out of the situation, telling the men he needed to go get the money and that they could follow him.

“I called the police as I was driving,” McNealy said.

Aaron Lyons, 22, of Swissvale, George McIntosh, 29, of East Liberty, and Juwan McIntosh, 24, of East Liberty, were arrested at the scene of the crash. Authorities said a stolen gun was found in the men’s vehicle.

All three men face charges that include robbery, conspiracy and possession of a firearm with an altered serial number. Lyons faces additional charges to include person not to possess a firearm, fleeing and alluding police, resisting arrest, driving without a license and reckless driving.

Channel 11 News looked into the three men’s criminal histories and learned that Wilkinsburg police charged Lyons two weeks ago with simple assault, possession and harassment.

Cox Media Group