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Police Investigating Alleged Threats Made By Former Steeler After Accident

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – A driver is making allegations against a former Steelers player. He says it started when their vehicles were involved in a fender bender downtown.

According to police, the accident happened in the 900-block of Penn Avenue on Thursday.

What followed the fender bender was loud and in the middle of Thursday evening's rush hour. A young man visiting from Georgia started filming the incident on his cell phone. He said the car driven by Superbowl Steeler Chukky Okobi cut off the van as they turned onto Penn Avenue. The van's driver laid on the horn, and the witness says Okobi retaliated.

"He brake-checked the van, his car was a little bit over in [the van's] lane," the witness said. "He brake-checked him, and bam."

Titus Swan was driving the van and says Okobi immediately came out of the car yelling.

"'Get out of the car,' all sorts of colorful language," Swan said. "He was going to beat me up, and then he took his shirt off."

KDKA-TV's John Shumway spoke to witnesses Friday, and they confirmed Swan's account. When police arrive, they got Okobi away from the van.

"He was standing next to his car, there was a police officer to his right and to his left, and both were within arm's reach," Swan said.

It was then, Swan says, Okobi turned and threatened him.

"He said choke me out to death, was his words," Swan said.

The police had the drivers exchange information. No report was taken. Swan is originally from New York, and it was hours later from Facebook that he found out about Okobi's Superbowl Steelers history.

"You just openly threaten somebody's life with physical violence, just because you have a Superbowl ring doesn't mean nothing," Swan said. "You should be held to a higher standard for that."

Okobi told John Shumway Friday, via text, "I got rear ended. That's all." Okobi denied an interview.

In a follow-up text referring to a 2013 assault incident and a different public dispute with his neighbors, Okobi said, "Local media has made me a villain one too many times. Can't talk to you. I'm beat down by all the negative media over the last 7 years. I am just trying to make a living and move forward. If I didn't play for the Pittsburgh Steelers, this wouldn't even be news."

Okobi also provided the name of a witness. She has not returned KDKA's call.

City police say there is an investigation underway, but a summons for harassment is being sent to Okobi. If he is convicted on that, it could be up to a $300 fine and/or 90 days in jail.

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