Fayette County man accused of crashing into store, trying to run over roommate
MELCROFT, Pa. (KDKA) -- A Fayette County man is behind bars facing attempted homicide charges after state police say he allegedly tried running over his roommate with his vehicle.
It happened on Tuesday at a home on Melcroft Road.
"My next-door neighbor, who happens to be my brother, he just went crazy," Jack Kolarik said.
Family told KDKA-TV that the incident started when David Kolarik left his home, first running over his own mailbox before taking off down the road to G&D Market.
"My older brother Joe was down at G&D Market and he seen him down there and he crashed into his bumper, and then pulled back out went back out and went up Route 711 and I guess that's what happened up at Sarnelli is he crashed through their door," Jack Kolarik said.
Surveillance video from Sarnelli's Market shows David Kolarik pull into the parking lot before starting to drive toward the front doors. The owner of the market told KDKA-TV he could see Kolarik laughing in the car before he put it in drive and smashed right through the front doors.
The owner said the railroad ties stopped Kolarik from making it all the way inside the store.
"I knew he was going through some mental health issues. So, I figured, 'oh, he must have just went berserk.' And I knew that was basically what had happened," Jack Kolarik said.
Family said Kolarik then returned home and pulled into the driveway before backing through his brother's privacy fence and into his garage.
"It's basically a man cave. We use it as a garage and a man cave," Jack Kolarik said. "If there was a gathering in there, definitely somebody would have got hurt or killed."
David Kolarik's roommate told KDKA-TV that's when he ran outside to see what happened. State police said Kolarik hit the gas and tried running his roommate over.
According to police paperwork, Kolarik confessed to trying to run over his roommate because his roommate apparently didn't believe he would do it.
Police said Kolarik also confessed to deliberately wrecking into his brother's property to teach him a lesson.
"Thank God no one got hurt or killed. It could have been worse tragedy than this," Jack Kolarik said.
Family said Kolarik suffers from mental health issues and had just been released from the psych ward on Friday.
His roommate told KDKA-TV Kolarik should have never been released but claims the hospital let him go because he was not a danger to himself or others.
Kolarik is now in the Fayette County Prison facing attempted homicide, aggravated assault and criminal mischief charges. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 12.
"I just hope that he gets the help that he needs," Jack Kolarik said.
