A Pottsville man walked out of the Schuylkill County Courthouse a free man on Monday after being acquitted by a jury of all charges stemming from separate incidents on consecutive days last May.
Jurors found David P. Haller, 44, not guilty of robbery, attempted robbery, theft, receiving stolen property, terroristic threats and simple assault in one case and terroristic threats, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person in the other.
The jury of six men and six women deliberated less than two hours before reaching its verdict to end the one-day trial over which President Judge William E. Baldwin presided.
State police at Schuylkill Haven charged Haller with using a rifle while stealing a dirt bike from Matthew Krammes, 18, of Schuylkill Haven, on May 12, 2010, along the railroad tracks between Schuylkill Haven and Landingville, and then shooting at Krammes and three people with him on May 13 at the same place.
"He turned around and took a shot at us," Krammes said of the second encounter. "We were in the open. We all ran."
Haller denied having a rifle in the first encounter with Krammes, saying he punched him in self-defense. Concerning the second, he testified he fired the rifle straight up into the air, not toward anyone.
Also on Monday, Steven S. Kreitzer, 45, of Camp Hill, is headed back to state prison after pleading no contest to six charges resulting from an April 2010 incident in Pottsville.
Kreitzer entered his plea to two counts of fraudulent/altered/forged/counterfeit document and one each of false identification to law enforcement, driving under suspension-DUI related, operating vehicle without required financial responsibility and accident involving damage to unattended vehicle or property. Prosecutors dropped charges of driving unregistered vehicle, displaying plate or card in an improper vehicle, operating vehicle without valid inspection and fraudulent use or removal of plate.
Judge Jacqueline L. Russell, who had been scheduled to preside over Kreitzer's trial, instead accepted his plea and, pursuant to an agreement between prosecutors and the defendant, sentenced him to serve six to 12 months in a state correctional institution consecutive to his current sentences from Perry County and pay costs, $1,100 in fines and $1,053.18 restitution.
"I guess I'm buying somebody a new car," Kreitzer said.
Pottsville police charged Kreitzer with driving into a parked car, and leaving the scene, on April 27, 2010, in the city. Police said Kreitzer returned to the scene but identified himself as someone else.
By pleading no contest, Kreitzer did not admit committing the crimes with which he was charged, but offered no defense to them, acknowledged that prosecutors had enough evidence to prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and agreed to be sentenced as if he had been convicted or pleaded guilty.
In other county court action, instead of taking his case to trial, a Pottsville man admitted Tuesday in Schuylkill County Court that he put two children in danger last May.
Mark D. Kruppenbach, 43, pleaded guilty to two counts of endangering the welfare of children.
Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin, who had been scheduled to preside over Kruppenbach's jury trial, instead accepted the plea and referred the defendant to state correctional authorities for an evaluation for possible placement in the intermediate punishment program, which would combine imprisonment with substance abuse treatment.
Dolbin did not set a date for sentencing, which will not occur until after the state completes its evaluation of Kruppenbach.
State police at Schuylkill Haven said the defendant endangered the children on May 11, 2011.
In other recent county court action, Renee L. Bogden, 45, of Pottsville, and Dominick J. Leo, 49, of Mahanoy City, each pleaded guilty before Dolbin to theft and receiving stolen property charges.
Dolbin sentenced Bogden to spend 12 months on probation, pay costs, $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and $103 restitution, and perform 20 hours community service.
He sentenced Leo to serve six days to 12 months in prison with immediate parole, and pay costs and a $50 CJEA payment.
Pottsville police had charged Bogden with committing her theft on July 12, 2011, in the city, while Shenandoah police had charged Leo with committing his theft on July 22, 2010, in the borough.
In another county court case, a Frackville man will spend more time in state prison after pleading guilty to a charge resulting from an incident last May.
Andre L. Mason, 25, of Frackville, must serve six to 12 months in a state correctional institution under the terms of Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin's sentence. Dolbin made the sentence, which also requires Mason to pay costs and $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account, consecutive to the defendant's current one.
Mason pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of weapons or implements of escape, with prosecutors dropping a charge of disorderly conduct. State police at Frackville charged Mason with committing the crime on May 26, 2011.
Also in the county court, Kevin Carrington, 32, of Pottsville, pleaded guilty to recklessly endangering another person, with prosecutors dropping charges of aggravated assault, simple assault and disorderly conduct.
Dolbin accepted Carrington's plea and sentenced him to serve six to 23 months in prison and pay costs and a $50 CJEA payment. Dolbin made the sentence concurrent to one the defendant is serving in a federal correctional institution.
Pottsville police charged Carrington with committing the crime on June 19, 2011, in the city.