Local musician attacked during road rage conflict in South Side

PITTSBURGH — Police are investigating after a local musician was attacked and assaulted early Sunday morning on Pittsburgh’s South Side.

According to police, Dave Whaley was severely beaten at the intersection of 20^th and Sara streets between 1 and 2 a.m. Sunday.

Witnesses told detectives that Whaley yelled at a driver to “slow down” and the person stopped their car and attacked him.

Police have not been able to identify any suspects in the incident and are asking anyone with information to come forward.

Whaley, who is a drummer in three different bands and employee at Dave’s Music Mine, remains in a Pittsburgh-area hospital. His condition has not been released.

“He was in a lot of pain. It was hard to deal with,” Whaley’s boss at Dave’s Music Mine, Dave Panasiuk, said. “He’s just the nicest guy. He’s always quiet and hangs out to play with bands in the South Side. Music is his life.”

Patrick Maloney, Whaley’s friend, band mate and fellow South Side neighbor, said the increase in attacks in the South Side have him worried to walk alone.

“His face is swollen shut and his eye is swollen up,” Maloney said. “Dave has lived here most of his life, but it keeps getting harder for people to get home.

South Side residents have been voicing their concern recently about similar incidents, and WPXI Facebook fan Liz McLaughlin said it got so bad that she moved.

“For 10 years I considered the South Side my home and was proud to live there. I’ve since left the South Side and although I had to do so with a heavy heart, every day I am reminded of the good decision I made,” McLaughlin said.

WPXI