The former wife of a high-powered Murrysville lawyer told a Westmoreland County judge her estranged husband used his car as weapon and ran her off a road near her home three years ago amid a heated custody battle.

Brad Funari, 49, was charged with a misdemeanor count of reckless endangerment and a traffic offense in connection with an incident Murrysville police said occurred on Sept. 4, 2023 near the couple’s home.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Tim Krieger heard testimony from Funari’s former spouse and her two parents during a nonjury criminal trial convened Wednesday.

Funari, a partner at the Reed Smith law firm in Pittsburgh, contends he is the victim of a conspiracy involving his former wife and local police to bolster her efforts to secure custody of their five children.

Mira Gornick testified her 19-year marriage to Funari ended in 2023. A high-stakes custody battle ensued and reached a boiling point on Labor Day three years ago on a suburban road.

Gornick told the judge she was a passenger in a vehicle driven by her father when Funari, with two of their children riding in Funari’s back seat, blocked a road to her home. She testified that Funari sped away before he circled back and accelerated towards them and forced them to swerve to avoid a collision.

“It was incredibly scary,” Gornick said. “I was so scared I didn’t know what was happening. I just didn’t understand why he would try to hurt me.”

Her four-minute call to 911 during the incident, which she and her father said was a chase, was played in court for the judge.

Funari is not charged with having physical contact with his former wife and no one was injured in the incident.

Michael Gornick testified he was forced to take evasive action to avoid a head-on collision. He said that as his vehicle sat on the side of the road, Funari slowly drove up beside them and flashed an obscene gesture then proceeded a short distance, turned into a driveway and changed direction.

“I saw him do a ‘Dukes of Hazard’ high speed maneuver and he comes after me again,” Michael Gornick told the judge.

Defense attorney Michael DeRiso argued the case against Funari should be dismissed mid-trial. He said prosecutors could not prove a crime was committed.

“You have to believe these two people have every motive to fabricate,” DeRiso said.

DeRiso declined comment following the conclusion of Wednesday’s testimony, but told the judge the defense is prepared to present evidence of a conspiracy between Murrysville police and Funari’s estranged wife.

Police filed the criminal charges against Funari the same day as Mira Gornick sought a protection from abuse claim against him in civil court, he said.

Assistant District Attorney Cassidy Hatten said testimony from the Gornicks supports the prosecution’s case.

“Vehicles are a dangerous weapon, and when it is used like he used it that day, it’s dangerous,” Hatten said.

The judge said he will rule on the defense request to dismiss the case before the nonjury trial slate is slated to resume Thursday morning.

Funari’s attorney is expected to present evidence in his defense.