A Pittsburgh man is in custody following a harrowing incident earlier this month, where he stands accused of both kidnapping a woman and attempting to take her life by crashing a car into a utility pole. Allegheny County Police charged Michael Barnes, 34, with a slew of offenses, including attempted homicide and kidnapping, after the said event that occurred last Tuesday, as reported by Audacy.
Barnes allegedly became agitated during an argument with a woman he was living with around 5 a.m. as she prepared to head out for work. After physically assaulting her, he is claimed to have forced her into her vehicle. Once behind the wheel, Barnes purportedly drove at a high rate of speed, only to eventually collide with the utility pole, gravely injuring the passenger side, where the woman had been placed, according to information sourced from WPXI.
The woman was transported to a local hospital, presenting serious injuries. Police remain hopeful, indicating that she is expected to recover from the ordeal. Barnes himself was treated for minor injuries after the crash. Details of the event emerged following a collective investigation by Scott Township and Allegheny County police, supplemented by witness testimonies and surveillance footage from the scene near the 1000 block of Bower Hill Road.
Ultimately, this collaborative investigative effort led to Barnes' arrest yesterday, after which he was detained at the Allegheny County Jail, CBS News Pittsburgh reported. Charged with attempted homicide, Barnes faces additional charges such as false imprisonment, aggravated assault, and robbery of a motor vehicle. The district attorney's office was consulted in formalizing these charges against him.
