Champion man to face jury trial on knife-attack charges
BULLSKIN TWP. – A Champion man accused of attacking another man with a knife will have the charges lodged against him heard before a Fayette County jury. Despite requests by his legal counsel that the criminal attempt to commit homicide charge be dismissed, it and other related charges filed against Richard A. Babick, were held over for court following a Tuesday preliminary hearing before District Justice Robert Breakiron.
Babick, 29, of Roaring Run Road is additionally charged with aggravated assault and reckless endangerment in connection with the Nov. 30 incident that took place outside the Sidewinder Bar in Connellsville.
Paul Long told Fayette County Assistant District Attorney Mark Mehalov that he was exiting the Water Street bar when he was attacked.
“I walked in and was told the bar was closed,” testified Long. “I turned around and started to walk out and I was stabbed.”
Long said he took a few steps and went into the parking and turned to find a man he knew as “Spider” standing in front of him, brandishing a knife with a blade he estimated as being between three and four inches long.
“I started swinging,” Long said. “He was swinging (at Long), with the knife in his hand.”
Long said he then was grabbed from the back by Trevor Emerick and thrown to the ground.
As he attempted to reach the vehicle driven by his friends, Long said he was stabbed under his right arm by Babick.
“I literally could feel the blood pumping out of me,” Long said.
As he was getting into the vehicle, Long told Mehalov he was stabbed two additional times in his right leg.
Defense attorney Edward Bilik questioned Long as to whether he was acquainted with Babick.
“I’d met him before,” responded Long, adding that he had knowledge of Babick dating his ex-girlfriend.
Connellsville police Cpl. Ron Haggerty testified that Babick was arrested after police determined his identity.
During closing arguments, Bilik requested the attempted criminal homicide charge be dropped, noting that the injuries sustained by Long were minimal and required only suturing and stapling by Highlands Hospital emergency room physicians.
“There was no injury to any vital organ,” said Bilik.
Mehalov countered that Babick was using a knife to cause bodily injury and that Long was wheeled into the hospital because of the severe bleeding.
“(The injuries) were more than superficial to cause that type of bleeding,” he said.
Babick remains free on a $30,000 percentage bond.