BUTLER TWP — All but one charge was moved forward against a Franklin Township man accused of fleeing from officers and then later of assaulting an officer.

Dennis John Jr., 46, of Butler appeared in-person Thursday for a preliminary hearing before District Judge Kevin O'Donnell. On his behalf, public defender Mike McFarland entered pleas of not guilty in regard to both cases.

In one case, John is accused of fleeing from police during an attempted traffic stop Sept. 18 on Hansen Avenue. He is charged with felony fleeing and misdemeanor reckless endangerment, driving on a suspended license and drug paraphernalia possession.

In the second case, John is accused of assaulting an officer during his arrest Sept. 19 for the alleged offenses in the first case. In the second case, John is charged with felony assaulting an officer and misdemeanor resisting arrest, drug and paraphernalia possession.

Following hearings on each case individually, O'Donnell ruled all charges be moved forward to the Butler County Court of Common Pleas, except for the drug possession charge in the second case.

McFarland called for the judge to dismiss those charges because John was the passenger in the pickup truck during that incident.

Butler Township patrolman Jeffrey Lewis, the arresting officer, said suspected crack cocaine was found on the driver's side of the vehicle. He said Kevin E. Vlassich, 46, of Butler, claimed the drugs were John's.

Vlassich has since pleaded guilty to a summary-level disorderly conduct for his involvement the night of the alleged attack.

McFarland said there was no tangible evidence linking John to the drugs.

“This Kevin had many reasons to lie,” he said.

Although successful in the removal of the drug possession charge, McFarland did not persuade the judge on any of the others.

In the fleeing case, McFarland argued the chase only lasted about two minutes and the speeds were undetermined, so he called for the charge's downgrading to a misdemeanor. McFarland also argued the crack pipes later found in the abandoned van from the chase shouldn't be attributed to his client.

Butler Township Patrolman Drew Blasko said although he had no gauge for the speeds, he estimated the chase went well above the posted 25 mph limit, and he had seen John regularly using the van in the past.

McFarland also had no success in regard to the assault charge. McFarland told the judge John disagreed with the events of the alleged assault.

During his testimony, Lewis said John resisted arrest by pulling away, and while he tried to pull John back, the two fell. He said after falling down, John began punching him in the side multiple times.

Lewis said he was able to maneuver and get on top of John. He said still John resisted until he was tazed.

Throughout testimony by both officers, John muttered disagreement or shook his head negatively on multiple occasions.

“This is my life on the line,” said John multiple times during these interactions.

John is scheduled to next appear for formal arraignment in county court; that date was not immediately available.

John has another case already at the county level involving a separate incident in which he's accused of fleeing from state police Sept. 18 in Slippery Rock Township. According to court documents, that chase happened hours before he allegedly fled from Butler Township officers.

In that case, he is charged with felony fleeing and misdemeanor false identification.