Man Traveling with 24 Marijuana Plants Charged After Checkpoint

A Coraopolis man had more than 20 marijuana plants in the backseat of his car when he was pulled over by  during a drunken driving checkpoint, according to reports. 

Antonio Cannella, 55, of Forest Grove Road, was pulled over by officers at 1:30 a.m. June 3 when they were conducting a checkpoint near the 5900 block of Steubenville Pike. 

Officers said they found 24 small, potted marijuana plants in the backseat of Cannella's maroon Chevrolet Suburban. A spray bottle and buckets were later found in the car's trunk. 

The plants were growing in plastic cups, officers said. A loaded handgun with 11 live rounds of ammunition as well as a second loaded firearm containing five rounds were also in the car.  

Cannella was charged with possessing marijuana and manufacturing marijuana. More than a dozen other motorists were charged with drunken driving as a part of the checkpoint. 

He is scheduled to appear July 24 before Judge Carla M. Swearingen for a preliminary hearing, according to court records. 

 also responded to the following recent incidents and made the following recent arrests. Each item is a reflection of police records and does not indicate guilt or a conviction. 

• Delmar Homes, 35, of Pittsburgh, was charged with aggravated assault June 8 on Campbell's Run Road. 

• A bicyclist was struck by a car June 3 on Campbells Run Road. He was not seriously injured and refused medical treatment. The motorist will be cited with traffic violations, according to reports.