GREENVILLE — An Arcanum man pleaded guilty to a reduced charge in Darke County Common Pleas Court Wednesday stemming from a BB gun attack this summer.
Earl Marion Sloan Jr., 58, of Arcanum, entered a guilty plea to charge of aggravated assault, a fourth-degree felony, amended from felonious assault, a second-degree felony.
Sloan was arrested in July after reportedly assaulting someone with a BB gun before making threats with a machete.
Sloan is represented by Greenville attorney James S. Detling.
The defendant faces a maximum of 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine, none of which is mandatory by law. Judge Jonathan P. Hein will determine Sloan’s sentence following a presentence investigation.
Sentencing has been scheduled for Jan. 29 at 1 p.m.
Bradburn trial suspended
In other court activity this week, the bench trial of Chad Bradburn began Tuesday but completion has been suspended for personal reasons of a state witness.
Bradburn is on trial for two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide in the February deaths of Richard Stephenson and Linda Shafer.
The defendant is accused of driving impaired, causing him to collide with Stephenson’s vehicle after Stephenson had struck a tree with his vehicle coming to rest in the roadway.
Stephenson was being helped from the vehicle by passersby, including Shafer, when Bradburn came around a curve and struck the overturned vehicle as well as the two victims.
Witnesses on the scene testified on Tuesday, and the prosecution’s case is expected to wrap up with testimony from a responding law enforcement officer next week.
A expert witness called by prosecution on Tuesday was precluded by the judge from testifying because he had not prepared a written report on his conclusions, as required under the law.
