The Indiana County Court schedule today includes several dozen DUI cases, some listed for DUI Criminal Call, some for pleas and sentencing, and some for sentencing of defendants who have already pleaded guilty.
There is one high-profile case on the court schedule that does not involve driving under the influence. 22-year-old Brady DiStefano of Johnstown is due in Plea Court to answer charges for his role in the death of his fraternity brother in February of 2017.
DiStefano got into a fight with 20-year-old Caleb Zweig of Rockville, Maryland in the 800 block of Wayne Avenue. Zweig died hours later at the Indiana Regional Medical Center and DiStefano was charged with criminal homicide and aggravated assault, but Judge William Martin dismissed the case because he said the prosecution did not have sufficient evidence that DiStefano caused Zweig’s death. Last October, State Superior Court upheld Martin’s dismissal of criminal homicide but reinstated the aggravated assault charge.
In August, DiStefano’s attorney made a request to the judge that the jury should also consider lesser charges of reckless endangerment and simple assault if the case were to go to trial. D.A. Pat Dougherty consented to the request. Yesterday, the judge issued a pre-trial ruling but the docket sheet does not offer details on that ruling. DiStefano is due for Plea Court this morning at 10:30.
