A very busy Indiana County Court schedule today includes the long-awaited trial of Brady DiStefano, but whether or not that actually happens is undetermined. On Thursday, District Attorney Pat Dougherty filed a notice of appeal to the State Superior Court and Judge William Martin issued a court order, and on Friday Dougherty filed a motion to strike that order. There is no information on the matters in question that led to the courtroom maneuvering.
DiStefano, who is now 22 years old and is from Johnstown, was originally charged with criminal homicide and aggravated assault in the death of his IUP fraternity brothers, 20-year-old Caleb Zweig of Rockville, Maryland, in February of 2017. Judge William Martin dismissed the case in November of that year because he felt there was not sufficient evidence that DiStefano had caused the death when the two got into a fight I the 800 block of Wayne Avenue. In November of last year, State Superior Court upheld the dismissal of criminal homicide but reinstated aggravated assault.
The trial has been postponed numerous times since then as DiStefano’s attorney has sought a reduction in charges.
A jury trial is also scheduled today for 66-year-old Garry Frank Faber of Valley Road in Green Township for an hours-long standoff with state police after barricading himself at his home last July. He’s accused of threatening a woman with a loaded shotgun in front of a 5-year-old boy. Charges include aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, terroristic threats, reckless endangerment, resisting arrest, simple assault, and harassment. The defense filed a motion last week that could delay the start of the trial.
A number of defendants are scheduled for sentencing today in county court, including some for drug violations.
31-year-old Derek Colberg of Marion Center will be sentenced in a methamphetamine case. He was one of eleven people tagged in “Operation One-Pot”, a state police drug sweep last May. He pleaded guilty to felony possession of a precursor to manufacture and misdemeanor possession of ephedrine.
51-year-old Lisa Kay Kromer of Indiana will be sentenced for felony possession with intent to deliver.
27-year-old Zachary Mark Davis of Graceton will be sentenced in two drug cases, for possession with intent to deliver in one and for simple possession of a controlled substance in the other.
29-year-old James Roy Winkelman of Indiana will sentenced for possession of a controlled substance.
Today’s court schedule also includes a number of defendants scheduled to be sentenced for theft, mostly retail; multiple defendants to be sentenced for DUI; and probation revocation hearings for repeat offenders.
