Westmoreland County Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio has granted a defense request to postpone Ray Shetler Jr.’s trial, tentatively rescheduling it until sometime in June.
The 37-year-old Shetler is charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault, plus felony disarming of a police officer, and single counts of disarming a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest.
Shetler was found not guilty of murder in the 2015 shooting death of St. Clair Township police officer Lloyd Reed, but was convicted on charges related to his escape attempt. Last fall, he skipped a probation hearing and police launched a search for him, finding him December 7th hiding at his girlfriend’s mobile home outside of Seward. Four sheriff’s deputies and 11 state troopers were involved in the attempt to take him into custody, but he fought with them before finally being subdued with the aid of a taser. A sheriff’s deputy was seriously injured in the fight as Shetler allegedly tried to get his gun from him. Shetler was also injured, and had surgery for a broken eye socket.
Shetler’s attorney told Judge Bilik-DeFazio on Tuesday that he needs more time to review case records and prepare for the trial.
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