A suspended Allegheny County cop named Andrew Marculaitis waived
his preliminary hearing on charges connected to what police described as three
road rage incidents. Marculaitis, 49, of Brentwood, has improved since he began
taking medication for likely recurrent depression and intermittent explosive
disorder, said his attorney Philip DiLucente.
Officer Marculaitis faces charges of simple assault official oppression
and intimidation. Brentwood police were
called to Catskill and Elroy streets about 3:45 p.m. on May 26 for a report that
a man on a motorcycle pulled up next to another car and began hitting the
window and threatening the people inside the car. One of the passengers told police the man
used a racial slur. People inside the car recorded the incident and
investigators saw that the man was wearing a vest that said
"Marculaitis."In that case, one witness told investigators that
Officer Marculaitis had his gun, a badge and a baton with him at the time and
that at least once pointed his baton at the man with whom he was arguing. Brentwood
police said they also suspect Officer Marculaitis stopped his car a few feet in front of a woman, walked toward her
"in an aggressive manner" while wearing his gun on his hip and gold
badge and berated her. He later "acknowledged his involvement in that
incident" and later called police to report a suspicious vehicle that had
blocked his path, referencing that incident with the woman, according to the
complaint.