Man’s throat slashed during robbery at Mt. Lebanon home
A man’s throat was slashed with a box cutter during a robbery Jan. 11 at his Mt. Lebanon home.
Mt. Lebanon police were called to 530 Pat Haven Drive shortly before noon and found Dennis McElhaney covered in blood and holding a towel over a four-inch gash on his neck.
McElhaney told police that he had invited a man into his home, and that person pulled his head backward and slashed his throat with a box cutter before McElhaney was able to wrestle the object away. McElhaney also suffered a gash to his right hand during the scuffle.
Darius William Johnson
The assailant, who McElhaney described as a black man with a Steelers winter cap, left with a backpack, according to court documents. Darius William Johnson, who matched the description of the assailant, was found by police officers a short time later at Bower Hill Road and Sylvandell Drive. Police said they found Johnson wearing a backpack and had blood-stained gloves and a sweatshirt.
As McElhaney was being taken by ambulance to an area hospital for treatment, he was able to identify Johnson as his attacker, according to court documents. Surveillance video from a neighboring house on Pat Haven Drive showed a man matching Johnson’s description leaving McElhaney’s home shortly before police arrived.
Johnson allegedly admitted to investigators that he went to McElhaney’s home “with the intent to kill him so he could steal” his credit cards in order to purchase Amazon gift cards, according to court documents. Police did not indicate how Johnson knew McElhaney or what was in the backpack.
Police charged Johnson, 24, of Pittsburgh, with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, robbery and possessing an instrument of crime. He is being held without bond at the Allegheny County Jail.
McElhaney, 53, was taken to UPMC Mercy hospital in Pittsburgh, where police said he was stable.