Former Pittsburgh TV news anchor Don Cannon was expected to be released from police custody in California yesterday, according to his attorney, Patrick J. Thomassey.

Cannon, whose real name is Donald J. Clark, was arrested earlier this week near San Diego for failing to report for 93 days of house arrest. He was to serve that time for two 2007 cases of driving under the influence. The former Upper St. Clair resident pleaded guilty to both counts in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court before moving to California.

"He was expecting to serve the house arrest there, and it just didn't happen," Thomassey said, "so the judge issued a warrant for his arrest.

"It's not unusual for a sentence to be transferred to other jurisdictions," he said. "That's what happened here and unfortunately Don didn't follow up. There are multiple reasons, and not all of it was his fault."

Cannon will not be extradited but will return voluntarily for a court appearance Dec. 18, Mr. Thomassey said.

A Pittsburgh broadcasting icon since he started working at WTAE-TV in 1969, Cannon and the late Paul Long formed a successful team along with meteorologist Joe DeNardo. Later, Cannon was paired with Sally Wiggin.

Cannon left WTAE and Pittsburgh in 1995 following a drunken driving arrest and an on-air meltdown. He returned to Pittsburgh to join KDKA as an anchor/reporter in 1999.But in July 2007 Cannon anchored a KDKA weekend newscast appearing dishevelled and unable to read the TelePrompTer.

After that he was not on the air for several months.

He returned to the air as a reporter briefly in fall 2007 and then disappeared again. He officially left KDKA in 2008 at age 68, saying he planned to find part-time work in California. At the time, Cannon said he was "feeling OK, not terrific, but OK" and didn't want to discuss his personal medical situation.

"I just don't like recycling the same story from 10 years ago, and that's what it's going to be," Cannon said last year.

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