May 23, 2002 By Steve Ferris 3 min read

Four of the five Uniontown teen-agers charged with assaulting and robbing an Ohio couple after they got lost and made a wrong turn into the Bierer Wood Acres housing project waived their preliminary hearings Thursday. A hearing for the fifth suspect was postponed Sept. 26 and state police in Uniontown withdrew charges against a sixth man.

The cases came before District Justice Rick Vernon who agreed to reduce the bond on two of the suspects – Travis Branch, 15, and Joe Early Hines, 17, both of 355 Cleveland Ave. – from $100,000 straight to 10 percent of that sum.

Branch, Hines and Antonio Trevelle Lanko, 16, of 40 Millview St. have been charged as adults, while a 14-year-old suspect has been charged as a juvenile. Lanko’s hearing was delayed.

Also charged in the case is Virdell Banks, 18, of 355 Cleveland Ave. and Isiah Dewayne Colbert, 19, of 106 Coolspring St.

According to affidavits of probable cause filed by trooper George A. Mrosko Jr., the incident occurred on July 28 in front of 45 Snyder Terrace in Bierer Wood Acres around 3:25 a.m.

Colbert was driving a car and stopped there. The victims – Christopher Volpe of Broad View Heights and Lisa Auerbach of Cleveland – were lost and driving behind Colbert.

Colbert stopped, exited his car and walked toward the victims’ car, which was quickly surrounded by Hines, Colbert, Banks, Branch, the 14-year-old and the man whose charges were withdrawn, according to the affidavit.

They opened the driver’s and passenger’s door on the victims’ car and held them open while Volpe and Auerbach struggled to close the doors.

Hines allegedly aimed a small black automatic pistol at the victims and screamed “hold ’em, Virdell; block ’em in” while Volpe’s wallet was being stolen, according to the affidavit.

While the victims were shouting, “we’re lost,” Colbert was helping to hold one of the doors open and threatening Volpe.

While Banks was helping to hold the driver’s door open, Branch and the 14-year-old were punching Volpe in the face and head, according to the affidavit.

Volpe’s wallet, which contained credit cards, cash and a checkbook, was taken, police said.

Hines faces four counts of robbery, two counts of aggravated assault, two of simple assault, two of recklessly endangering another person, theft and eight counts of conspiracy.

Branch was charged with two counts of robbery, aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, theft and eight counts of conspiracy.

Lanko was charged with eight counts of conspiracy.

Banks and Colbert waived charges of conspiracy to commit simple assault, conspiracy to recklessly endanger another person and conspiracy to commit theft.

Police and assistant district attorney Joseph George Jr. agreed to withdraw other charges against Banks and Colbert in exchange for their cooperation in the case.

Originally, Colbert was charged with two counts of robbery and eight counts of conspiracy and Banks with eight counts of conspiracy.