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Fairchance man to stand trial for robbery

By Steve Ferris 2 min read

A Fairchance man was ordered to stand trial in the Oct. 12 armed robbery of the National City Bank branch in Hopwood following a brief preliminary hearing Thursday. John Bernard Smith, 34, was ordered held for court on charges of robbery, theft and recklessly endangering another person filed by state police at the hearing before Magisterial District Justice Joseph M. George Jr.

George also returned Smith to the Fayette County Prison, leaving his $50,000 straight bond in place.

The case against Smith will be forwarded to Fayette County Common Pleas Court, where he will have a trial or accept a plea bargain.

Rena Dickinson, a teller at the bank, testified Thursday that Smith entered the bank about 9:20 a.m., pointed a gun at her and demanded money.

“A man walked in close to my window, and he pulled a gun on me,” she said, under questioning from Assistant District Attorney Michelle Kelley.

She said Smith kept demanding more money as she was placing money on the counter.

“He said, ‘More money, more, more.'” Dickinson said. “I felt like my life was at risk.”

She said she handed over $1,980.

Under cross-examination by public defender Susan Harper, Dickinson said Smith did not wear a mask.

She said she placed the money on the counter and Smith took it and left the bank.

Four other employees were in the bank at the time of the holdup, she said.

She was the only person who testified at the hearing.

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