One charged in beating man, 81
One of three people charged in the beating and robbery of an 81-year-old man was sentenced to one to two years in prison Tuesday before Fayette County Judge John F. Wagner Jr. Clark King IV, 24, of 309 Rear Pittsburgh St., Uniontown, pleaded guilty to robbery and associated charges, and prosecutors dropped a count of aggravated assault lodged against him.
State police alleged that the King, Derek Ryan Hudock, 28, of 140 Wendy Drive, Uniontown, and Allison Lynn Hilling, 35, of 804 Third Ave., Brackenridge conspired to rob George Rostich of New Salem at the Dairy Mart gas station on Dixon Boulevard in South Union Township on Oct. 26.
Rostich, a World War II veteran, stopped for gas around 10:30 p.m. after he left a meeting at the Circle Club on Pennsylvania Avenue. After he paid for and pumped his gas, police said, Rostich tried to get into his car when a truck pulled in front of his car and blocked him from leaving.
Hilling allegedly asked him for money, and Clark came from behind him and grabbed the wallet from Rostich’s back pocket. He was able to chase King to the truck and hold onto his leg, but police allege Hilling hit him from behind.
Police believe Hudock stayed in the truck during the incident. He reportedly admitted that he used one of Rostich’s credit cards to buy gas for his truck and to buy cartons of cigarettes, which later were traded for crack cocaine.
All three were charged with aggravated assault, robbery access device fraud, simple assault, theft, receiving stolen property and various counts of criminal conspiracy for the offenses. Hilling also has entered a guilty plea and will be sentenced next week.