Attempted homicide charges dropped
All charges against a 26-year-old Hiller man charged with attempted homicide were dismissed after the two witnesses failed to appear in district court Friday. John Anthony Kaminsky, 26, of 908 Third St. was charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault and simple assault before Magisterial District Judge Michael Defino last month, after he allegedly shot Brandon Gordon, 23, of Uniontown following what police said was a botched drug deal in LaFayette Memorial Park.
Gordon suffered major injuries from a bullet wound to his shoulder, officials said.
Both unnamed witnesses in the case will be held in contempt of court for failing to appear, officials said.
According to the criminal complaint filed by Trooper Louis J. Serafini, the shooting occurred between 7:30 and 8 p.m. the evening of Sept. 13 at the cemetery, located on Route 40.
Serafini said in the affidavit of probable cause filed in the case that Kaminsky met Gordon at the cemetery to sell Gordon cocaine.
However, the men began to argue and started fighting in a grassy area in the cemetery, police said.
During the struggle, Kaminsky ran to his vehicle and retrieved an assault rifle from the front passenger seat, Serafini said.
Police said Kaminsky then fired three rounds into Gordon’s vehicle where Gordon and an unidentified woman were sitting.
Gordon was struck in the left shoulder and was seriously injured while the woman suffered minor injuries from debris and glass fragments in the shooting, Serafini said.
Gordon and the woman then fled the scene and drove to the Uniontown Hospital for treatment, police said.
Gordon was later transported to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh.
Kaminsky had been in the Fayette County Prison on $150,000 bond prior to the hearing Thursday.
Serafini could not be reached for further comment Friday.