PITTSBURGH — A man charged with killing a Pittsburgh police dog says he stabbed the animal in self-defense.

John Rush testified Thursday in Allegheny County Court that he only wanted to injure the K-9 dog named Rocco so the animal would stop coming after him while police were taking him into custody on a bench warrant in January.

The 22-year-old Rush says he feared going back to jail and was trying to elude the police officers in the basement of a Lawrenceville apartment building when they released Rocco. The dog died two days after the stabbing.

Rush faces charges that include abusing a police animal and aggravated assault.

PITTSBURGH — State police are trying to figure out if a West Virginia man was intoxicated before he walked on Interstate 376 in downtown Pittsburgh, where he was struck and killed by three vehicles whose drivers didn't stop.The Allegheny County medical examiner's office planned an autopsy Thursday on the body of 44-year-old Christopher Ballard of Morgantown.Police say he was walking in the eastbound lanes when he was hit by a blue passenger vehicle and thrown into the westbound lanes, where two more vehicles struck him about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.Police believe the man died from the initial impact.