West Deer man arrested in connection to Frazer shooting

An argument at a Frazer auto salvage yard led to a shot fired and a West Deer man arrested, according to Allegheny County Police.

Jonathan Nealer, 40, is charged with felony aggravated assault in connection with the shooting of a man in his leg last week at Hloznik Auto Salvage Yard.

At 4:44 p.m. July 17, Frazer police responded to the 300 block of Clarks Pike Road, where the auto salvage yard is, for a report of a shot fired, according to a criminal complaint filed in the case.

Minutes later, West Deer police were dispatched to the 100 block of Creighton Russellton Road to contact Nealer, who called 911 to report his involvement in the shooting, according to Allegheny County Police.

Officers took Nealer into custody. The man who was shot in the leg was not identified in court paperwork. He drove himself to a hospital before EMS took him to Allegheny General, the complaint said.

At the hospital, the man told police he has valuable items at the salvage yard that employees aren’t allowed to touch, according to the complaint. He noticed one of the vehicles he did not want touched had been moved, police said.

He went to the car crusher, where Nealer was working, and confronted him, police said. The man said he opened the door to the wheel loader that Nealer was operating and began yelling at him for moving his stuff, police said.

The man told officers that Nealer pointed a gun at him while in the loader. The man said, when he saw the firearm, he stepped back and Nealer exited the loader “aggressively” and they began to argue, police said.

The man said he stepped toward Nealer near the car crusher and then heard a thud, police said. He told police he didn’t realize he was shot until Nealer said, “You better call 911; you’re going to bleed out,” according to the complaint.

The man, who said he was unarmed during the confrontation, then drove himself to the hospital, police said. He said the confrontation never got physical.

Nealer’s account to police told a different story.

According to the complaint, Nealer told investigators he was operating the wheel loader that afternoon when the man opened the door, grabbed his leg and yelled at him to get off the loader.

Nealer said he told the man he had a gun but that the man continued to try to get him off the loader, police said. Nealer said he tried to stay in the loader’s cab but couldn’t fight off the man’s efforts to remove him, the complaint said.

When both men were off the loader, Nealer said, the man hit him twice in the face, according to the complaint. Nealer wasn’t sure if the man hit him with an object or his hands, police said.

Nealer said he tried to create distance between himself and the man but became cornered between items in the yard, police said. Nealer said he intentionally discharged one round from his semi-automatic pistol to stop the man.

Nealer said he told the man to call an ambulance before getting in his truck and leaving, police said. He said he left the yard to prevent further confrontation, according to the complaint.

When he got home, Nealer said, he unloaded his firearm and reported the incident to 911. He told police he should have gone home when the man approached the loader.

A preliminary hearing for Nealer is scheduled Aug. 5 before District Judge Michael Girardi.

“We believe the shooting is justified, and the evidence will show there is no criminal conduct committed by my client,” said David Shrager, the attorney representing Nealer.