Court briefs
Melcroft man acquitted A Melcroft man was acquitted of one count of simple assault and terrorist threats and convicted of a second count of simple assault at his Fayette County criminal trial. Edward Charles Koontz, 36, of 314 Ash Street, was charged with assaulting his then-girlfriend, Christina M. Randall at his home last May 1. He allegedly threatened to kill her, held a knife to her throat and told her he would burn down her home.
Jurors acquitted
Koontz of simple assault with the attempt to inflict bodily injury and convicted him of simple assault with the attempt to physically menace another person. Koontz will be sentenced at a later date before Judge Ralph C. Warman, who presided over the case.
Split decision issued
A Fayette County jury acquitted 34-year-old Cary Lee Davis of the most serious sexual abuse charged lodged against him after a criminal trial. Davis, of 355 Cleveland Avenue, was acquitted of aggravated indecent assault on a 15-year-old girl. Jurors convicted him of indecent assault and corruption of minors in the case. Police alleged that Davis assaulted the girl last Aug. 10 at a Snyder Terrace, South Union Township residence. Judge Gerald R. Solomon will sentence Davis at a later date.
19-year-old convicted
A 19-year-old Uniontown man was convicted of possession and possession with intent to deliver crack cocaine after a Fayette County jury trial. Robert Welsh III, of 89 McArthur Terrace, fled from a Uniontown police officer who tried to help him when he saw his smoking car last Feb. 22. The officer gave chase from Lenox Street to Madison Avenue, where Welsh fell and was apprehended. Police said Welsh dropped a bag with 15 individually wrapped rocks of crack cocaine on the ground after he was caught. Welsh will be sentenced at a later date.