Charges Re-Filed Against Police Sergeant Accused Of Assault
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Charges were re-filed Friday against a Pittsburgh Police sergeant accused of punching and shoving a 19-year-old outside of Heinz Field last fall.
As promised, the Allegheny County district attorney refiled the charges against Sgt. Stephen Matakovich, who was captured on surveillance video shoving and punching the South Park man who admitted he was drunk at the time.
Besides the assault-related charges, Matakovich now is also accused of perjury.
The district attorney says he believes the police officer lied when he testified at an earlier hearing, where a judge dismissed the original charges.
Matakovich had testified that the teenager lunged at him and he thought he was going to be assaulted.
But, witnesses who there the night of the incident told a different story.
A criminal compliant quotes one witness as saying, "The [suspect] was not aggressive and he never saw him make a fist," which was something that Matakovich had testified to.
Three witnesses, according to the court papers, described the police officer as aggressive, argumentative and irritated the night the man was taken into custody in November.
Blaine Jones, Matakovich's attorney, said he and his client were aware of what to expect as far as the criminal charges were concerned.
Jones said, "We are prepared to move forward."
A preliminary hearing for Matakovich is set for April 15.
Matakovich has been suspended from the police force, pending termination. The Pittsburgh Public Safety Director has not made a final decision on Matakovich's status.
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