MARION HEIGHTS - A Kulpmont man and his live-in girlfriend have been charged with multiple offenses, including aggravated assault, in connection with April 1 incidents in which a Sagon man was assaulted and hit by a car near Marion Heights Cemetery.
Steven James Randall, 21, and Cynthia Ann Sidden, 19, of 642 Chestnut St., Apt. 1, Kulpmont, were arraigned Wednesday by Magisterial District Judge Hugh Jones on felonies of aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy to commit aggravated
assault, misdemeanors of altering or forging documents or plates, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, unsworn falsification to police, accidents involving death or personal injury while driving without a valid license, and summaries of driving under suspension, reckless driving, failure to give immediate notice of an accident to police and driving without proper inspection.
The charges filed by Mount Carmel Township Patrolman Matthew Filarski relate to incidents that occurred between 1:42 and 5:12 p.m. that involved Shane M. Brosious of Coal Run being attacked, hit by a car and left along Route 2026 (Sagon Highway) near Marion Heights Cemetery.
The couple were both committed to Northumberland County Prison in Sunbury in lieu of $20,000 cash bail and are scheduled to face a preliminary hearing on the charges April 25.
Police also are attempting to locate two other males allegedly involved with the assault.
Police reported Brosious suffered head and back injuries and was transported by AREA Services Ambulance to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, where he underwent emergency room treatment before being released.
According to a criminal complaint, Filarski was dispatched to a pedestrian accident near the cemetery at 1:42 p.m. and quickly learned that a gold 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass had fled the scene at a high rate of speed toward Marion Heights.
Filarski said Brosious was found lying face down on the ground near the front bumper of a car. The officer said the victim was conscious and speaking with Annette Pollock, who had stopped to render aid. Filarski also spotted Brosious' Ford Escort at the scene with severe damage to the driver's side door, which was reportedly crushed by the fleeing vehicle.
Filarski said he briefly spoke with Brosious, who told him he was assaulted by Randall and two other unidentified males. Emergency medical personnel then tended to Broscious' injuries.
Kulpmont Officer Josh Pastucka told Filarski that he had seen Sidden walking on Route 2026 toward Kulpmont when he was en route to assist with the pedestrian/hit-and-run accident.
A short time later, Randall arrived at Kulpmont Police Station wanting to talk with an officer regarding a friend named Beth calling him to inform him that she heard his name on the scanner. Filarski said at no time did he or any officer broadcast Randall's name on the radio.
During a subsequent interview with police, Randall and Sidden stated they were in the Marion Heights area looking for houses after being evicted from their apartment in Kulpmont. Randall denied being in the area of the accident, owning or operating a vehicle, getting into a fight or striking Brosious with a vehicle. Sidden also denied being in the area of the accident.
At 6 p.m. April 1, Brosious was interviewed by Filarski at Mount Carmel Township Police Station in Atlas. Brosious said Randall showed up at his residence with Sidden and two other unidentified males, who waited in a vehicle. Brosious said Randall wanted to speak with him about hooking up a stereo system for $50. Brosious said he was then introduced to the other two males who were identified as Randall's landlord's son and the landlord's daughter's boyfriend.
Brosious said there was no room to get into Randall's vehicle so he followed Randall in his own car and headed toward Marion Heights along Route 2026. Brosious said Randall then drove at a high rate of speed before pulling off the road near Marion Heights Cemetery. After Brosious caught up to Randall, he pulled up and rolled down the passenger side window to ask him what was wrong. Brosious said Randall then asked him to pull over and get his tools out to help him with a car problem.
After pulling his car over and reaching to grab his tools, Brosious said someone grabbed him by the legs to pull him out of the vehicle. He then turned around and saw Randall standing there and asked him what he was doing.
Brosious said Randall stated, "You've been calling me a snitch." After Brosious denied saying anything about Randall, the defendant replied, "I'm just messing with you. It's April Fools Day."
Brosious then tried retrieving his tools from his car again, but spotted the two unidentified males grab his legs, pull him out of his Ford Escort and assault him.
Brosious said Randall hit him in the face, while the other two assailants held him against the car. Brosious was able to free himself and grabbed for his tire iron for protection. Brosious then heard tires burning out and saw Randall's vehicle coming toward him. Brosious said he attempted to jump on his car to avoid being hit by Randall's auto, but he and his Ford Escort were struck, resulting in severe damage to his driver's side door.
Brosious was hit with the mirror and door of the Oldsmobile, which caused him to be pushed through his open driver's side window and onto the ground.
Brosious said he spotted Randall driving the Oldsmobile and also saw Sidden inside the car before it backed up to allow the two unidentified males to get in. The Oldsmobile then fled toward Marion Heights.
Brosious said he was unconscious for about one to two minutes during the incident.
Brosious' brother, Josh Brosious, provided police with a voice mail left by Randall at 6:58 a.m. April 1. Part of the voice mail stated to Josh, "Don't let me see you cross the street, cuz I'll run your ass over." Another part of the conversation had Randall stating, "And I got my vehicle back."
Later in the night, Mount Carmel Township Patrolman David Stamets went to Randall's residence in Kulpmont and took him into custody on a probation detainer. Sidden also was transported to Mount Carmel Township Police Station.
After being read their Miranda rights, both defendants admitted being involved in striking Brosious' vehicle, but not hitting him with the car. They claimed that they were driving through Coal Run when Brosious passed them out at a high rate of speed before becoming involved in a fight with Randall. After fighting, the couple said Brosious swung his car door open to prevent them from going around him. But Randall, who claimed Sidden was driving, crashed into the door of Brosious's auto, which he claimed was in the middle of the road. Randall said he didn't believe Sidden intentionally crashed into the vehicle.
Randall and Sidden admitted trying to hide the vehicle and eventually parked it in an open lot on Clermont Street in Marion Heights. Randall said he told Sidden to hang a white T-shirt out the window to make it appear as if the vehicle was broken down. Randall said they later moved the vehicle from Clermont Street to Scott and Seventh streets in Kulpmont, where it was located by police.
Police said the vehicle had an invalid registration and minor damage to the passenger front quarter panel and a cracked windshield from the bottom of the window to the top.
Randall said he knew the registration was invalid and claimed he obtained it from a friend to use on his car.
Randall told police he told Sidden that he would confess to everything because he didn't want her to go to jail.