EMPORIUM (EC) — A bench trial held in Emporium for three people charged with assaulting a man with a shovel ended with guilty verdicts for the defendants.
Last week, Cameron County President Judge Richard Masson presided over a non-jury trial that combined cases against Emporium residents Michael E. Hallowell, 48, Dana Lee Grovanz, 35, and Christopher James Grovanz, 37. The three were charged in connection to a fight that occurred in the business district of the Emporium Borough in April of 2017.
While Masson did find the defendants to be guilty of some charges, he dismissed the most serious crime charged against them: rioting with the intent to commit a felony. Hallowell and Dana Grovanz were each found guilty of one misdemeanor count of simple assault, plus one summary count each of disorderly conduct/engage in fighting and harassment. The two could face up to one year in jail.
Christopher Grovanz was found guilty of three counts of misdemeanor simple assault plus one count each of disorderly conduct/engage in fighting and harassment and could face as much as six years in jail.
Sentencing was postponed in order to allow the Cameron County Probation Department to complete pre-sentence investigations for all three defendants. They were ordered to be completed by mid-June, and it is likely that sentencing will be held during Return Day proceedings in July.
According to court documents, arrests were made following an incident that occurred April 12 near the intersection of Fourth and Broad streets in the Emporium Borough. Affidavits indicate that Hallowell stopped in the middle of the street to light a cigarette, and a driver honked at him to get out of the road. Hallowell did not, and instead shouted obscenities at the driver.
The victim then circled the block and exited his vehicle. A confrontation ensued, and the two shoved each other, but then decided they would end the fight. When the victim tried to walk away, Hallowell took a shovel leaning against a nearby building and struck the victim with it. The victim managed to disarm Hallowell, and he was struck again with the shovel by Dana Grovanz. While trying to stop the attack, the victim hit Dana Grovanz, at which time Christopher Grovanz attacked him.
The trial was carried out on Tuesday last week, with court convening around 10 a.m. and a verdict delivered shortly after 3 p.m. The defense called two individuals, Emporium Borough Police Officer Patrick Straub and a local business owner who was witness to much of the attack. The defense called Christopher Grovanz and a man who was walking with him and witnessed the altercation.
Cameron County District Attorney Jeanne Miglicio represented the Commonwealth, while each defendant was represented by a different attorney. Hallowell was represented by Cameron County Public Defender Christopher Martini; Dana Grovanz was represented by Attorney John R. Thomas; and Christopher J. Grovanz was represented by Attorney George N. Daghir.
