Making way for a hero
Scott Bashioum performs a vehicle inspection in Waynesburg in this May 2015 photo.
Several streets around Church of the Covenant on East Beau Street and the campus of Washington & Jefferson College will be closed to traffic for about eight hours Wednesday in anticipation of the lengthy funeral procession for the Canonsburg police officer killed last week in the line of duty.
Officer Scott L. Bashioum was killed and Officer James Saieva was wounded early Thursday when they were ambushed while answering a call to a domestic dispute at 120 Woodcrest Drive.
City police will start closing streets at 7 a.m. Wednesday, said Washington Chief Robert Wilson. The closures are expected to remain in place until about 4 p.m.
The streets closed include:
• East Chestnut Street from North Main Street to North Avenue
• East Beau Street from Main to North
• East Cherry Avenue from South Main to College Street
• East Wheeling Street from South Main to East Lane
• East Strawberry Avenue from South Main to College
• Shaffer Avenue from East Maiden Street to Pine Avenue
• South College from East Maiden to Spruce Street
• South Lincoln Street from East Maiden to East Chestnut
• Grant Street from East to South Lincoln
• East Wheeling Street from East to South Lincoln
Wilson said Main and East Maiden streets and North will remain open. All on-street parking in the perimeter of the street closure will be prohibited. Crews for the state Department of Transportation will assist in setting barricades and closing the streets.
Wilson also said that businesses in the affected area have been strongly encouraged to stay closed because of the closures.
The chief is expecting 1,000 police cars to participate in the funeral procession. Wilson said it is not known how many fire trucks will take part. Bashioum was a life member of Slovan Volunteer Fire Department and had been an assistant fire chief.
Wilson said police and fire vehicles will be staging at Consol Energy Park from 8 to 9:30 a.m. The procession will then leave, going east on West Chestnut Street to the area around the church. They will be parked on the closed streets. State police will be in charge of traffic control along the route.
A hearse will carry Bashioum from Beinhauer Funeral Home in Peters Township to the church at 267 E. Beau for the noon service. Wilson said the service is expected to last about an hour. After the service is completed, Bashioum’s casket will be carried out of the church and placed on a fire truck.
Wilson expects the procession will leave the church about 2 p.m. The procession will go from East Beau to North. It will make a right on Murtland Avenue (Route 19) and continue to Interstate 70 westbound at Murtland. The procession will go north on Interstate 79 to the Houston exit. It will go left on Route 519 and then make a right on Pike Street in Houston. The procession will continue into Canonsburg on Pike and Adams Avenue before turning right on Morganza Road. It will follow Morganza through North Strabane and Cecil townships before making a left on Morgan Road and to Cemetery of the Alleghenies, where Bashioum will be laid to rest.
Bashioum and Saieva were shot by Michael Cwiklinski, who was firing a high-powered rifle from the home on Woodcrest. Canonsburg police Chief Alexander Coghill said Saturday Bashioum got out of his car and walked toward the house. Saieva arrived to back him up.
Bashioum was fired upon immediately by Cwiklinski from a second-floor window and was hit twice, Coghill said. Bashioum was able to return fire, emptying his duty magazine, firing multiple rounds in and through the window. Saieva was struck by one round of a high-powered rifle as he was still in his patrol vehicle.
The 52-year-old Bashioum died a short time later at Canonsburg Hospital. Saieva was flown to Allegheny General Hospital. He is continuing to recover from his injury.
Cwiklinski, 47, and his 28-year-old wife, Dalia Sabae, who was three months pregnant, were later found dead on the second floor of the home. She had a protection-from-abuse order against her husband.