State police Trooper Matthew C. Barrett testified Thursday in Schuylkill County Court that he saw a car bearing down on him in May 2015 and thought it might be the last thing he ever saw.
“It looked like it was coming right at us. It was like a missile locked,” Barrett said on the first day of the jury trial of the driver, Brad A. Moyer. “That was a deliberate act in my mind.”
Moyer did not deny driving the car, but testified he had no intention of hurting anyone but himself.
“Suicide was the only thing on my mind,” he said.
Moyer, 30, of Zion Grove, is on trial for two separate incidents that allegedly occurred on the same night in northern Schuylkill County. His trial, over which President Judge William E. Baldwin is presiding, is scheduled to resume at 10 a.m. today.
State police at Frackville charged Moyer with one count of simple assault and two of harassment in the first case. Baldwin dismissed a charge of terroristic threats.
In that case, they allege Moyer assaulted and harassed his parents, Randy and Wendy Moyer, about 10 p.m. May 28, 2015, in the 264 Ridge Road, Zion Grove, Union Township, home the three of them shared. Randy and Wendy Moyer each said Brad Moyer committed the crimes, state police Trooper Brian O’Connor testified.
In the second case, police allege Brad Moyer drove his 2014 white Chevrolet Malibu directly at, and collided with, the marked sport utility vehicle O’Connor was driving, and in which Barrett was a passenger, about 11:45 p.m. on Ringtown Road in North Union Township. All three suffered injuries in the crash, and had to be taken to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street, according to police.
The defendant is charged in that case with two counts each of attempted homicide, criminal mischief, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person, six of aggravated assault and one of driving under the influence.
O’Connor said he did not immediately pursue the defendant after responding to the incident with his parents because he did not want to escalate the situation. He said he did go looking for him, however, and found Moyer’s car — in his headlights.
“It appears the vehicle is making a turn into me,” he said while describing the video taken from his vehicle’s camera. “It’s coming at me head on in my lane at this point.”
He said Moyer’s car hit the SUV, and hurt both troopers.
“My door was jammed shut. I was dazed,” O’Connor said. “I felt there was an attempt on my life at that time.”
“Were you hit by an air bag?” District Attorney Christine A. Holman, who is prosecuting the case with Assistant District Attorney Kimm M. Montone, asked.
“Yes, I was,” O’Connor said. “I had bruises up and down my forearm. At that point, I was concerned for my life and for Trooper Barrett’s life.”
Barrett said that after the crash, he saw Moyer crawling out his car’s window and ordered him to put up his hands.
“Did he comply?” Holman asked.
“No,” Barrett answered. Instead, he said, Moyer came at him yelling and cursing. Barrett said he had to threatened to shoot Moyer in order to get him to stop.
Moyer said he was under the influence of diazepam and oxycodone, and had no intention of harming anyone but himself.
“I’d like to apologize for the events of that night,” he said.
“What was your intent?” Claude A.L. Shields, Pottsville, Moyer’s lawyer, asked him.
“Suicide,” he answered.
“Your mother tried to stop you, is that right?”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t want her to stop you?”
“Yes.”
He said he left the house, drove fast and tried to get away. Moyer said that when he saw the lights of the SUV, he hit the gas, closed his eyes and let go of the steering wheel.
“You had no idea where you were going to end up?” Holman asked.
“No,” Moyer answered.
“You were combative that night?”
“Yes. I was angry that they were trying to get me help.”
Defendant: Brad A. Moyer
Age: 30
Residence: Zion Grove
Charges: One count of simple assault and two of harassment in one case; two counts each of attempted homicide, criminal mischief, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person, six of aggravated assault and one of driving under the influence in the other case