A Penn Township man was found guilty of several charges and not guilty of one, following a one-day trial in Butler County court on Tuesday, after being charged with recklessly endangering 50 to 75 people during a church picnic in July 2016.

Shawn E. McDonell, 38, was convicted of four misdemeanor counts, including defiant trespass, disorderly conduct and two counts of recklessly endangering another person, but not guilty of a misdemeanor count of simple assault. Following the jury's verdict, Judge William Shaffer also found McDonell guilty of summary harassment in the incident.

McDonell remains on house arrest with electronic monitoring on an unrelated case, and Shaffer made that a condition of this case pending sentencing, which was set for Dec. 21. He was also ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation within 30 days.

The jury deliberated for about 80 minutes after testimony concluded Tuesday.

McDonell was initially charged with 50 counts of reckless endangerment. which were consolidated into the two counts, as well as the other charges after an incident at the New Life Christian Ministries Church, 139 Knoch Road, Saxonburg, on July 1, 2016.

McDonell took the stand to refute the prosecution's assertion that he intentionally drove his truck through the church parking lot, down a hill and into a field where parishioners were celebrating the church's 15th anniversary. Prosecutors said he was trying to injure churchgoers.

On the stand McDonell claimed the situation was an accident, He said that the accelerator in his 1993 Ford F-150 pickup truck became stuck and he took the only course of action he could to keep from injuring anyone, and drove onto the field.

McDonell also testified that he was wearing steel-toed boots, which could have contributed to the accident.

“My first instinct was to kill the engine,” McDonell testified, saying that the key broke off in the ignition and became stuck as he signaled for people to move out of the way.

He said driving down the hill and into a ditch were his only option, and the vehicle stopped short of the ditch because he kicked at the accelerator and it came unstuck.

However, prosecutors claim McDonell was angry about not being allowed on the church property following a previous incident, and intended to hurt parishoners.

Assistant District Attorney Mark Lope said in his opening statement that “this is a case about a man who endangered the lives of a lot of people because he wouldn't be told 'no.' ”

Being banned from the property led to the incident where, after dropping off his wife at the church function later in the day and again being told to leave, McDonnell intentionally drove his vehicle in a reckless manner, almost hitting James Reedy, who was working as parking lot security at the time, and then between 50 and 75 parishoners in the field after the vehicle went over the hill, where the truck eventually stalled out.

“In a very selfish, reckless way he endangered the lives of a lot of people,” Lope said. “Fortunately no one was injured here, but he put their lives in danger.”

Brian Summers, the director of operations and security for the church, testified that he responded to the church after a phone call regarding McDonell.

After a short conversation with McDonell, Summers said he then called the police. A few minutes later they informed him that McDonell was at the Fueland gas station down the road, and Summers and two others went there to let McDonell know he was no longer allowed on church property.

Head Pastor Chris Marshall also responded and spoke with McDonell for about two hours after informing him that he was not permitted on the property.

Pennsylvania State Trooper Jessica Klouse testified that she had informed McDonell that if he returned to the church, he would be charged with trespass.

Summers testified that later that evening, McDonell returned to drop off his wife, and was told to leave after she got out of the vehicle.

“He then drove by the church going about 5 mph and staring at us as he drove past,” he said, before testifying that while his back was turned, McDonell then drove back into the parking lot, nearly hitting security worker James Reedy, and then went down into the field.

Reedy testified that he attempted to stop McDonell's vehicle when he came back, but the vehicle continued to move forward and he was forced to jump out of the way to avoid getting hit.

Following the incident, security personnel moved McDonell's truck, driving it through the field, and eventually returned it to his home while McDonell was in custody, Summers said,

Trooper Richard Houseman of the state police testified that when he arrived McDonell was detained by church security, and that the truck had already been moved from its location.

“Mr. McDonell didn't report any mechanical issues to raise any suspicions,” he said.