Apr 21, 2006 By Jennifer Harr 2 min read

A panel of state Superior Court judges has dismissed the suppression-related appeal of Robert Breakiron Jr., paving the way for him to be tried on charges that he lied to police after he was involved in a 2003 auto accident. On the morning of Oct. 19, 2003, Breakiron, a former Fayette County adult probation officer, allegedly told state police that his BMW was stolen from the garage of his Connellsville home.

As the day unfolded, however, Breakiron allegedly changed his story. State police trooper Greg Furin alleged that Breakiron indicated he was drinking the night before and wrecked his car at the intersection of Crawford Avenue and Breakneck Road in Connellsville.

Police allege Breakiron left the car there, and it was impounded.

In 2004, Breakiron’s attorney asked Fayette County Judge Gerald R. Solomon to suppress evidence in the case because he claimed that state police violated Breakiron’s rights when they took him to the scene of the accident and area residents identified him as the driver.

Solomon denied the request in March 2005, and Breakiron appealed the decision.

Breakiron’s attorney at the time, Mark F. Morrison, argued that taking Breakiron to the accident scene so he could be identified violated his right against self-incrimination. Furin testified at the suppression hearing that he never specifically told the people who lived there that he was bringing a suspect for them to see. Two residents were able to identify Breakiron independently.

Breakiron, son of Bullskin Township Magisterial District Judge Robert Breakiron Sr., previously testified that he only went to the accident scene because police led him to believe that they had found his car there and he wanted to see the damage it sustained after the alleged theft.

Furin formerly said he was suspicious of Breakiron’s story, so he and a state police corporal talked to Breakiron about the consequences of lying to police. Authorities allege Breakiron maintained his story was true, but at the end of the day, called to say he “messed up.” Police allege Breakiron told them he lied because he was worried about his job as an adult probation officer, which he was later dismissed from.

Breakiron now can ask the state Supreme Court to hear the case, but the court does not have to re-evaluate it.