One of two men involved in Hiller bar shooting pleads guilty
One of the two men allegedly involved in a shooting at a Hiller bar in 2012 pleaded guilty in Fayette County Court in exchange for a 1 1/2- to 3-year prison sentence.
Paris Brown, 36, of Uniontown, pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm into an occupied structure and recklessly endangering another person, and the prosecution declined to pursue the remaining three reckless endangerment charges, as well as six counts of aggravated assault, four counts of simple assault, two counts of conspiracy and a single count of disorderly conduct.
As part of the plea bargain, Brown agreed to offer “full, truthful testimony” and cooperation against Damion Ethridge, 34, of Brownsville. Ethridge faces the same set of charges, plus one count of firearms not to be carried without a license.
State police allege that the men fired inside Jilly’s Restaurant and Tavern on First Street in Luzerne Township after Brown got into a fight with other men there and was thrown out of the bar shortly after 2 a.m.
Cassandra Ross and Garrett Grooms were both hit by gunfire, police said. Both were taken to Uniontown Hospital, but Ross was later transported to a Pittsburgh-area hospital for additional treatment for her injuries, police said.
Police said that after Brown was thrown out, “numerous gunshots came through the front door” and then Brown came into the bar and started to shoot before fleeing with two other men.
Police indicated that surveillance video from the bar showed Ethridge standing outside the bar, holding a gun.
After Brown was ejected from the establishment, Ethridge allegedly fired five rounds through the front door of the bar. Then Brown retrieved a handgun from a vehicle and came back into the bar to fire more shots.
Brown will be sentenced before Judge Joseph M. George Jr. on May 23 at 9:30 a.m.