Commissioners approve witness payment in helicopter, gun case
Sep. 14—Crawford County commissioners have approved a $2,701 budget adjustment for the county District Attorney's Office in connection with trial expenses in June for a case involving a man charged with pointing a loaded rifle at a helicopter flying over his home last year.Commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday for the $2,701 adjustment within the office budget to pay a total of $2,933.07 in witness fees and mileage to Chesapeake Bay Helicopter Inc. of Chesapeake, Virginia.At last week's public work session, District Attorney Paula DiGiacomo told commissioners that state law requires the reimbursement of mileage and cost of overnight accommodations for out-of-town witnesses.Witnesses from Chesapeake Bay Helicopter Inc. were called for the trial of Auston Lee Lyons, 26, of Cambridge Springs, in Crawford County Court.Lyons, 26, was charged by Pennsylvania State Police with pointing a loaded AR-15 rifle at a helicopter, containing two men, that was flying over his home on Skeltontown R
Sep. 14—Crawford County commissioners have approved a $2,701 budget adjustment for the county District Attorney's Office in connection with trial expenses in June for a case involving a man charged with pointing a loaded rifle at a helicopter flying over his home last year.
Commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday for the $2,701 adjustment within the office budget to pay a total of $2,933.07 in witness fees and mileage to Chesapeake Bay Helicopter Inc. of Chesapeake, Virginia.
At last week's public work session, District Attorney Paula DiGiacomo told commissioners that state law requires the reimbursement of mileage and cost of overnight accommodations for out-of-town witnesses.
Witnesses from Chesapeake Bay Helicopter Inc. were called for the trial of Auston Lee Lyons, 26, of Cambridge Springs, in Crawford County Court.
Lyons, 26, was charged by Pennsylvania State Police with pointing a loaded AR-15 rifle at a helicopter, containing two men, that was flying over his home on Skeltontown Road in Venango Township around 11:30 a.m. Aug. 5, 2022. The helicopter was being used to inspect power lines owned by FirstEnergy Corp.'s Penelec subsidiary.
Lyons was charged with one count each of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, simple assault, and disorderly conduct obscene language or gesture.
In June, Lyons went on trial, with a jury finding him not guilty of aggravated assault, but guilty of reckless endangerment and simple assault. The summary count of disorderly conduct obscene language or gesture wasn't prosecuted.
On Aug. 10, Lyons was sentenced by Judge Francis Schultz to serve four months to 24 months less one day in jail each for reckless endangerment and for simple assault. The sentences were ordered to run at the same time with Lyons given pre-sentence credit of one day.
Schultz also sentenced Lyons to undergo a mental health evaluation and pay $250 in fines plus $4,737.10 in court costs.
Lyons currently is serving his sentence in the Crawford County jail, Saegertown.
Keith Gushard can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at [email protected].
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