Republicans call for independent investigation after Democratic state Senate candidate crashes in Clairton
CLAIRTON, Pa. (KDKA) -- A state Senate campaign is embroiled in controversy after one of the candidates crashed her car in Clairton on Saturday, leading to calls for an independent investigation.
The allegation is Democrat Nicole Ruscitto, who is looking to unseat Republican state Sen. Devlin Robinson this November, left the Terrace Gardens bar and restaurant late Saturday afternoon only to crash her car 150 yards away and yet there was no police report taken, no breathalyzer administered and her husband drove her home.
Allegheny County Republican Chairman Sam DeMarco immediately issued a statement questioning why responding officers made no police report and did not administer a breathalyzer. He's asking the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office to investigate, calling for "a full accounting."
"While we can be grateful that Mrs. Ruscitto apparently did not suffer serious injuries nor injure anyone else in the accident, the fact pattern calls for a more thorough investigation than we have been led to believe Clairton Police have conducted," DeMarco said.
Ruscitto's car apparently rounded a bend and came down a hill but then veered off the road, mounting another hill and colliding with a telephone pole.
"I talked to my chief this morning and he basically told me that they're investigating and they'll get as much information they can and they'll get back to myself and council," said Mayor Richard Lattanzi.
The Clairton police did not return phone calls from KDKA-TV, but while Lattanzi says they're conducting an internal investigation, he says the police seem to have acted according to procedure.
"It was a one-vehicle accident and the police responded to it and I guess she refused medical treatment and they went about their business and she left," Lattanzi said.
Responding to KDKA-TV's email requests, Ruscitto declined to be interviewed but a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Senate Democrats said Ruscitto stopped in Terrace Gardens after a long day of campaigning and had one drink while waiting to pick up dinner. On the drive home, the spokesperson said Ruscitto veered off the road to avoid a car that had crossed the center line.
"It's very common to have a single car accident and not have a breathalyzer and make a police report. The police came and saw no reason to do those things. Sam DeMarco is making widely unfounded accusations while Nicole is focused on her campaign and the issues in her district," the statement said.
While the mayor says Clairton is doing an internal probe, DeMarco is suing the district attorney to conduct an independent investigation to see whether special favors were given and there was an effort to cover up the accident.