SHARON Police: Officer shot driver to save lives

The officer involved has been temporarily placed on administrative duties.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
SHARON, Pa. -- Police said Patrolman John Zych feared for his life and those of two women when he fired shots at a car speeding toward him.
One of the bullets hit the driver of that car, Matthew D. McKenna, 23, of Wengler Avenue, in the neck.
McKenna was listed in fair condition today in Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he is under police guard.
Pennsylvania State Police, who are investigating the case, said they plan to arraign him in the hospital early this week on charges of attempted homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. The charges have already been filed, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Sharon police identified Zych, a seven-year veteran of the force, as the officer who shot McKenna. Zych had been called to investigate a domestic assault at McKenna's home at 12:10 a.m. Saturday.
State police said McKenna's 22-year-old girlfriend, who lives with him, suffered facial and head injuries in the assault and it was she and another woman standing in a yard on Wengler Avenue who were nearly hit by McKenna's car as he drove back and forth across Wengler Avenue at least twice, ignoring Zych's orders to get out of the car.
What happened
Zych fired numerous shots at the car as it careened toward him and the women at one point and again as it accelerated backward toward him moments later, state police said.
The car came to a stop against a utility pole.
Sharon police said Zych has been placed on administrative duties until he is cleared by the police chief to return to patrol duty.
That's standard procedure, said Capt. Michael Menster, noting that the chief could make that determination as early as today.
Department policy provides post-shooting counseling for the officer involved, if it is needed, Menster said.
Pennsylvania law says that a peace officer is justified in using deadly force "only when he believes that such force is necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury to himself or such other person." "Such other person" refers to anyone in danger of bodily harm.
The law also specifies that deadly force is allowed when the person to be arrested has indicated "he will endanger human life or inflict serious bodily injury unless arrested without delay."
State police said they expect to wrap up their investigation within a week.
Menster said the last shooting involving a Sharon officer occurred in April 1983 after the armed robbery of a gas station at Forker Boulevard and East State Street.
The suspect, identified as Anthony Seltzer, fled on foot and broke into an occupied home on Highland Road, where police cornered him.
Menster said Seltzer pointed a handgun at police numerous times as they tried to arrest him and was shot him in the chest by an officer.
Seltzer recovered from the wound and was convicted in the robbery case, Menster said.