FRACKVILLE — A Ringtown man charged with threatening to shoot his neighbor with a shotgun outside of a home in Union Township waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday.
Dean J. Zelinsky, 50, of 2638 Melanie Manor, was scheduled to appear before Magisterial District Judge Christina E. Hale, Frackville, on charges of felony aggravated assault; misdemeanor offenses of terroristic threats, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, resisting arrest and fleeing or attempting to elude police, and a summary charge of harassment.
Instead, Zelinsky chose not to have a hearing and will now have to answer to all of the charges in Schuylkill County Court.
Trooper Matthew Barrett of the Frackville station charged Zelinsky with the April 1 assault on his neighbor, Richard Eroh.
Eroh reported that about 11:30 p.m., Zelinsky pointed a shotgun at his head while he was working on his vehicle.
At the scene, Barrett said, Eroh told him he was working on his vehicle on the street side of his home when Zelinsky arrived at his home in a vehicle, approached him and asked if he had a problem with him.
At that point, Eroh reported he told Zelinsky to go home and leave him alone but an argument started and subsequently ended with Zelinsky leaving and going into his home.
Barrett reported Eroh told him he returned to repairing his car when Zelinsky returned with a shotgun and pointed it at him.
Eroh said Zelinsky pointed the barrel of the weapon in his face and said he was going to shoot him, Barrett reported, adding that Eroh was able grab the barrel of the shotgun and a struggle ensued.
Barrett said Eroh ran to his home thinking Zelinsky was going to shoot him in the back but the man got into his vehicle and left the area, spinning his tires and yelling threatening words out of the window.
At the scene, Barrett said, he observed Zelinsky driving toward the area and then quickly leaving when he saw Eroh speaking to police.
The trooper said he and Trooper Brian O’Connor got into their cruiser and tried to stop the 2000 GMC Jimmy that Zelinsky was driving, but the man ignored the emergency lights and siren.
Barrett said Zelinsky drove at a normal speed for between 12 and 15 miles north on Route 339 before stopping at his parents’ house, where he exited the SUV, ignored commands to put his hands up and stop, and walked into the woods.
Barrett said he and O’Connor followed Zelinsky for about a mile before he laid on the ground under a tree to avoid capture. At that point, Barrett said, Zelinsky still ignored commands and was taken into custody with the assistance of troopers from the Hazleton station.
During the attempt to take Zelinsky into custody, Barrett said, he resisted and had to be shot three times with a Taser weapon.
Barrett said Zelinsky appeared to be intoxicated, under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and consented to a blood test at Hazleton General Hospital, where he was taken after the incident.
The trooper said that Zelinsky was wearing a vest that contained several loaded shotgun shells and that a shotgun was recovered from the passenger’s side seat of his vehicle.
The weapon was later identified by Eroh as the one that Zelinsky pointed at his face, Barrett said.
Zelinsky was originally committed to Schuylkill County Prison, unable to post $50,000 straight cash bail set by Hale at the time of his arraignments. He is now free on $5,000 unsecured bail set at a bail reduction hearing in Schuylkill County Court.