Suspect pleads not guilty in shooting
CHICORA — District Judge Lewis Stoughton allowed Assistant District Attorney Russ Karl to play surveillance video from the Millerstown Inn showing the early-morning shooting to Gary Ellenberger and his lawyer.
Ellenberger shuffled to the judge's chair, where the video was played on a laptop. As the video reached the end of the incident, Ellenberger shook his head vigorously, as if to say “no.”
Karl said that he doesn't often show graphic video in cases like this, “But I did it here because I've been hearing a lot of 'I don't remembers' from them so I wanted to refresh everyone's memory.”
Ellenberger pleaded not guilty Tuesday to shooting Heath Schrecengost in the Chicora bar on Sept. 2.
The preliminary hearing was held in Chicora, just a few buildings away from Millerstown Inn where Schrecengost, 27, of Karns City was shot once in the chest by what police have described as a sawed-off shotgun.
Ellenberger, who is from Chicora, is charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and illegal offensive weapons. He is being represented by Ryan Helsel, a public defender. The hearing also was attended by more than a dozen members of Schrecengost's family.
During the hearing Trooper Nathan Brown, a first responder that night, said the weapon has not been found and, therefore, investigators aren't certain what weapon was used. Brown also said that when police arrested Ellenberger later that day he appeared to have been drinking and had been asleep.Helsel requested that Ellenberger's bail denial be reconsidered and set at $500,000.“It's not a death sentence case,” Helsel said, and noted that “he has ties to the area” and “he would consent to house arrest.”Stoughton denied the request, concluding, “I believe Ellenberger is a danger to society.”Schrecengost, who has a 7-year-old daughter, had been out Sept. 1 celebrating his girlfriend's 21st birthday at the inn, according to family and friends. As Saturday night continued into Sunday morning, police allege that Ellenberger walked up to Schrecengost, shot him and walked out.The near-fatal shot left Schrecengost in critical condition. He was taken to UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh, where he's been since.Family members reported that Schrecengost had recently regained consciousness and he is slowly recovering. He no longer needs to use an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device, which provided cardiac and respiratory support, they said. However, doctors are still monitoring his blood-oxygen levels.Schrecengost's aunt, Nichole Heller of Karns City, noted that he is now semi-conscious and able to nod his head to say yes or no.“I don't know that I'll feel any different till it's all said and done,” Heller said after the hearing. “I don't think (Ellenberger) should be free to terrorize people.”
