Former Pitt quarterback Phil Jurkovec arrested, charged with stealing box truck
Former Pitt quarterback Phil Jurkovec was arrested on Friday and charged with stealing a vehicle from Allegheny Health Network's Wexford Hospital.
According to court paperwork, Jurkovec, 26, stole a box truck from the hospital's valet garage on Route 19.
Police said that officers were called to the valet garage, where the victim, an employee of Rental Time, said that he was loading tables and chairs from a function into the box truck when it was stolen.
"He heard the doors open and close and all of a sudden the truck just took off," Rental Time owner Deborah Clager said. "I thought he was joking. There's no way this is happening."
Investigators said the truck was able to be tracked using GPS, and Cranberry Township police officers stopped the truck, identifying the driver as Jurkovec.
"It's easy to spot. It's not a sports car that's easy to zip in and out. It's a huge, 18-foot box truck," Clager said.
Jurkovec was taken into custody, police said, and charged with one count of theft by unlawful taking and one count of receiving stolen property. Both charges are felonies.
"I was shocked when we heard who it was," Clager said. "Obviously, he needs help, and I hope that he gets the help that he needs and gets back on the straight and narrow."
According to online court records, Jurkovec was unable to post bail, which was set at $25,000. He's being held in the Allegheny County Jail with a preliminary hearing scheduled for the end of the month.
An attorney representing Jurkovec declined comment.
Jurkovec played his final season of college football at the University of Pittsburgh in 2023 after a standout high school career at Pine-Richland and time spent playing at Notre Dame and Boston College.
During his four years in high school, Jurkovec threw for over 8,200 yards and 71 touchdowns, leading Pine-Richland to the WPIAL and PIAA championships in Pennsylvania's Class 6A in 2017. He was also named to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
In his post-football career, Jurkovec worked as a legislative aide for Pennsylvania Rep. Josh Kail. A spokesperson for the House Republicans said that his employment there ended in November 2025.
