A Penn Township man remains in jail as his attorney claims a neighbor’s brain trauma and fractured skull resulted from a wrestling match and horseplay.
Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani rejected a request Monday from Jake G. Stepansky to be released on nominal bond. Stepansky was charged this month with aggravated assault and other offenses in connection with an incident in his driveway that left neighbor Joseph Hixson with a fractured skull and brain bleed, prosecutors contend.
According to court records, Stepansky, 29, and Hixson were in the driveway when they engaged in what the defense claimed was a wrestling match.
Defense attorney Owen Seman said Stepansky has no prior criminal record and that he and Hixson had been involved in horseplay stemming from a neighborhood prank war. Hixson’s injuries were the result of an accident, Seman said as he asked for Stepansky to be released on nominal bond and placed on house arrest to await trial.
Stepansky, of the Claridge neighborhood in Penn Township, is being held without bond.
Assistant District Attorney Jackie Knupp rejected the defense’s description of the incident.
“This was unprovoked. He put him in a chokehold and choked him. It was unclear if he (Hixson) was going to survive. This was no horseplay,” Knupp said.
She said Stepansky had an elevated blood-alcohol level hours after the alleged incident and recommended that a $50,000 straight cash bail be set.
The judge ordered Stepansky to undergo an evaluation for drug and alcohol addiction while in jail and said he would reconsider a bail request upon its completion.