Penn Hills Man Waives Preliminary Hearing on Multiple Drug, Gun Charges

Michael Lee Snoe, 34, of Penn Hills waived his right to a preliminary hearing before District Judge Thomas Caulfield on charges stemming from a traffic stop conducted by Churchill police on Dec. 27, 2012.

A Churchill officer observed that Snoe's silver Mitsubishi Galant had an expired inspection/emission sticker. The officer watched the vehicle turn on to the Parkway East ramp without using a turn signal, then follow a traffic trailer at an unsafe distance.

The officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop at the Churchill on ramp but Snoe proceeded for several hundred feet before stopping on the Parkway beyond the Wilkinsburg exit. The officer saw Snoe reaching around the passenger compartment as the vehicle swerved.

A search of the car discovered a bookbag behind the driver's seat containing multiple bottles of prescription and non-prescription medicines, a metal marijuana grinder with a small amount of marijuana in it, a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber, semi-automatic pistol with the serial number obliterated and 14 live rounds.

The officer noted in the complaint that Snoe was not licensed to carry a weapon.

Snoe will face the following charges in Common Pleas Court: firearms not to be carried without a license, possession of a firearm prohibited, possession of a firearm with the manufacturer's numbers altered, etc.; possession of marijuana, use/possession of drug paraphernalia, follow too closely, careless driving, operating a vehicle with a valid inspection and evidence of an emission inspection. An additional charge of person not to possess/use firearm-delinquent was withdrawn.

In other cases handled by Caulfield last week:

• Leon Kevin Crowe, 56, of Swissvale was held for court on two counts of driving under the influence (general impairment, incapable of driving safely, first offense) and one count each of driving under the influence (high rate of alcohol, blood alcohol content .10 to .16, first offense), driving without a license and careless driving. According to a criminal complaint, Crowe was involved in a two-vehicle accident in the 2000 block of Waverly Avenue on Dec. 15, 2012. When Swissvale police arrived at the scene, an officer detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage on Crowe, whom they said exhibited signs of intoxication. Crowe failed field sobriety tests. He submitted to a blood alcohol content test that was conducted at the Port Authority police station. His level was .145 percent. The legal limit is .08 percent.

• Michael P. King, 30, of Turtle Creek was held for court on charges of intentional possession of a controlled substance by a person not registered, use/possesion of drug paraphernalia, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked, disregard traffic lane (single), careless driving and no rear lights. The charges were filed by Forest Hills police. According to a criminal complaint, a Forest Hills police officer observed a silver Dodge sedan driven by King fail to stay in a single lane of traffic while headed eastbound in the 2000 block of Ardmore Boulevard. One of the car's rear lights was out. The officer observed King drive erratically to the intersection of Route 30 and Center Street in East Pittsburgh. The officer conducted a traffic stop at Grandview Avenue and Center. He observed King making furtive movements. The officer observed multiple used plastic bags with the ends twisted off. A knotted plastic bag containing crack cocaine, a digital scale covered in a white residue and five plastic bags were recovered from the car.

• Jonathan Miracle was held for court in the theft of an ambulance from Swissvale on Jan. 8. For story, click here.