Several arrested after 2 South Side fights; man found with frozen food in pants

PITTSBURGH — Officers were called to break up a fight outside of a South Side bar early Sunday morning when a second fight broke out nearby after an alleged theft, according to police.

FREE APPS | NOW | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

• Bodies ID'd as missing persons Andre Gray & Paul Kochu
• 'God is with us' -- Teen's photo of cross in tornado debris going viral
• PHOTOS: Jerome Bettis holds 'Bowl with the Bus' charity event
• Better, healthier chocolate? It's happening!

Pittsburgh Public Information Officer Sonya Toler said the initial fight occurred outside of Mario's South Side Saloon on East Carson Street about 2 a.m. Several officers were in the process of breaking up that fight when two men got into an altercation across the street, outside Local Bar + Kitchen.

When the officers approached the men outside Local Bar, one of them identified himself as an employee of the bar. He said he was escorting the other man, Evan Blodgett, 25, from the bar when he became combative.

Toler said two officers handcuffed Blodgett, of Beechwood, who then continued to throw punches and lunge away from the officers.

It was then discovered that Blodgett had two bags of frozen food in his pants, Toler said. They had been taken from the kitchen of Local Bar.

Meanwhile, outside Mario's, a man was arrested after he allegedly pushed an officer during the arrest of another man.

According to Toler, Zachary Willis, 21, of Finleyville, broke through a perimeter created by police in an attempt to talk to a man being arrested.

Willis then started pushing an officer, who got him back into the crowd and instructed him to stay back, Toler said. Despite being told that he was under arrest, Willis continued to push the officer, causing the officer to fall backward.

Officers put Willis on the ground and he placed his hand under his body in an attempt to prevent officers from handcuffing him, Toler said. An officer struck Willis in the upper right leg with a fist while his arms were forcibly pulled behind his back to be cuffed by two other officers.

It was then that a woman tried to talk to Willis. Like Willis, she allegedly ignored police instruction to stay back.

Toler said Destinee Knox, 23, of Washington, Pennsylvania, kicked at an officer multiple times after she was handcuffed.

Willis was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital to be medically cleared. He was then taken to the Allegheny County Jail.

Willis and Knox face charges of aggravated assault, obstructing the administration of law and resisting arrest.

Blodgett was taken to the Allegheny County Jail on charges of disorderly conduct, simple assault, public drunkenness and theft.

WPXI