Mom, daughter robbed by man with gun who jumped into car

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MOUNT PLEASANT, Pa. — A Westmoreland County man is behind bars, after police said he robbed a woman and her daughter at gunpoint and threatened to shoot them at a Mount Pleasant car wash.

Michael Pilato, 35, of Scottdale is facing charges of robbery, reckless endangerment and terroristic threats after the incident along South Diamond Street Wednesday.

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Bonnie Wilson told Channel 11's Melanie Gillespie she and her 12-year-old daughter went to the car wash shortly after 10 p.m. to retrieve a lost item, when Pilato approached them.

“He came up, jumped in the car and he got angry, hit me a couple times,” Wilson said.

Wilson said  Pilato had a gun, demanded cash and threatened to “spray bullets” if she did not give him the money.

She did the only thing she could think of to keep her daughter safe.

“I got out of the car and threw the money across the street," Wilson said.

Mount Pleasant police said Pilato’s alibi did not check out, and that he knew how much money had been taken without ever being told by officers.

He remained in the Westmoreland County Prison Friday in lieu of $100,000 bail.