Briefly...

Inquirer driver arrested

A delivery driver for the Daily News and Inquirer was arrested in Center City yesterday after an altercation with police. David Pizza, 53, allegedly yelled and cursed at two bicycle cops who had just stopped a motorist at 17th and Sansom streets about 9:15 a.m., said Lt. Frank Vanore, a police spokesman.

Pizza, of Voorhees, N.J., told one of the officers to move out of the way and allegedly added "something to the effect of, this is why you cops get shot," Vanore said. The delivery driver started to drive off, but one of the bike cops rode alongside Pizza's truck and tried to signal him to pull over, Vanore said. "Basically, [Pizza] cut him off, and caused the officer to fall off his bike." The cop wasn't injured. Pizza was charged with aggravated assault and related offenses. Jay Devine, a spokesman for the newspapers' parent company, Philadelphia Media Holdings, said that company officials wouldn't comment until they had interviewed Pizza.

Girl's attacker sought

A 15-year-old girl was assaulted outside the Truebright Science Academy, in North Philadelphia, about 7:40 a.m. Monday. Police said a heavyset 45- to 55-year-old black man grabbed the girl from behind and pinned her against a wall outside the school, on Broad Street near McFerran, and then chased her into the school. The attacker was chased away before he could do any more harm. The victim, a Truebright student, told police the man had followed her from Broad Street and Erie Avenue.

Police said that the attacker has a dark complexion, light beard and is balding with gray hair. He wore a dirty white T-shirt, black hooded jacket and light blue pants. Tipsters can call 215-685-3251.

Feds want $2M from Fumo

Federal prosecutors said in a court filing yesterday that they will seek to seize convicted former state Sen. Vince Fumo's real estate as substitute assets if he cannot come up with the cash that prosecutors want Fumo to forfeit, at least $2 million they say he obtained as a result of his fraudulent conduct. (The real estate includes Fumo's homes in Philadelphia, Margate and Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; three condos in Ventnor; and a farm in Halifax.) A forfeiture hearing in federal district court is scheduled for tomorrow.

Fumo was convicted Monday by a federal jury of multiple counts of fraud on the state Senate and a nonprofit, Citizens Alliance for Better Neighborhoods.

Cop dragged by car in S. Phila.

A police officer suffered minor injuries when he was briefly dragged by a motorist in South Philadelphia last night. About 6:20 p.m., a pair of patrol officers stopped a car for a traffic violation near 12th Street and Passyunk Avenue. When one officer approached the car, he thought he spotted a weapon inside, investigators said. The driver tried to speed off and somehow dragged the officer for several feet before the car crashed into a pole and another car, police said. The officer's partner fired several shots during the ordeal, but no one was wounded. Investigators said that the driver of the car, who was not identified, was taken into custody, but his female passenger ran off. *

- Staff and wire reports