Leetsdale Officer Charged With Obstructing Justice

A Leetsdale police officer has been suspended without pay after Beaver County detectives charged him with lying to protect another person.

Wayne Drish, 36, of Bell Acres, was arraigned Thursday on charges that include hindering apprehension or prosecution of another person, a felony, and misdemeanor counts of obstructing the law and providing false statements to law enforcement.

Leetsdale Police Chief James Santucci said he recommended to Mayor Pete Poninsky that Drish be suspended without pay. Drish has worked in the department for 12 years. Santucci said Drish may return to work depending on the outcome of the case -- if charges are dropped or he is found not guilty.

The hindering charge is a third-degree felony.

Drish and Jason Ludovico, 31, of Economy, left a bar on Aug. 1, when Ludovico’s car struck a utility pole, according to Santucci. Ludovico was charged with drunken driving, according to court records.

Three days later on Aug. 4, Drish called Beaver County detectives to report that he was the driver, not Ludovico. Detectives said the evidence proved otherwise. Ludovico’s blood and hair was on the windshield in front of the driver's seat, and Drish’s DNA matched DNA evidence from a beer can found on the passenger side door of the car, Santucci said.

Santucci said Ludovico told authorities he couldn’t remember if he was driving.

Beaver County law enforcement officials allowed Santucci the courtesy of picking up Drish at home and bringing him to the borough station, where Beaver County Detective Timmie Patrick and Economy Officer Jason Woods took him into custody.

“It hurt me to go do what I did,” Santucci said.

Both Drish and Ludovico were arraigned Thursday by video.

Ludovico was released on the promise to return to court for future appearances and Drish was released on $5,000 unsecured bond.

Santucci said Leetsdale’s department of five full-time officers is now short one person. A part-time officer has been placed on a 32-hour weekly shift to cover Drish’s shifts, he said.