PSU - Man to stand trial on gun charges

[ithinkimamedic]

Yet again, more proof that alcohol makes you do stupid things.

Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008
Man to stand trial on gun charges

By Sara Ganim

- sganim@centredaily.com
BELLEFONTE — A New Jersey man who police say chased a residence life coordinator through a Penn State dormitory with a pellet gun that looked like a handgun will face trial, a judge ruled Wednesday.
The decision came after District Judge Leslie Dutchcot listened to a recorded phone conversation of the terrified and trembling woman who said she believed the man was going to gun her down.
The coordinator testified that Christopher J. Steliga, 18, chased her through a bathroom, a hallway, down a stairwell and into a common room where she hid in a corner thinking, "I can't believe this is the way I'm going to die."
It was all because she phoned police to ask for an ambulance to come to the aid of Steliga's friend, who had passed out after vomiting in a bathroom.
Penn State police Sgt. Francis McClellan said after police got the call for a man with a gun in a residence hall, "everybody ran out of the office."
"We didn't know if it was part of a larger issue, if it was an isolated issue between two people," Penn State police Capt. Bill Moerschbacher said.
Prosecutor Yvette Wilson held the pellet gun -- which looked like a Smith and Wesson automatic pistol -- in court to show Dutchcot what the woman testified she saw as Steliga chased her shortly before midnight on Nov. 8.
The gun was later found in the room where Steliga was seen helping his vomiting friend.
When police arrived they surrounded the building and arrested Steliga at gunpoint after the woman identified him. McClellan said Steliga initially tried to walk past police, and Officer Sean Gorman said he later became aggressive and argumentative when questioned by police.
"This is the type of act we take very seriously," District Attorney Michael Madeira said. "I sat in the courtroom today and this victim was extremely frightened by what this guy did. I mean, the police response to the case was significant, as it should be, and these charges are appropriate whether the gun turns out to be real or not."
The coordinator said she had been called to the second floor of McElwain Hall after a report of men drinking in the hallway and found one man could barely stand and was vomiting over a bed.
She was on the phone with police when Steliga told her to "stop" and "don't" and grabbed her wrist for her phone, she testified. She said she saw Steliga walking away with a gun in his hand, so she darted into a bathroom but Steliga chased her.
"It was all about the alcohol and helping his friend," said Steliga's attorney, Bruce Manchester. Steliga later told police he grabbed the woman because he had a prior underage drinking citation and didn't want to see his friend get one too.
He said he chased her because she took off for no reason.
Preliminary breath test results showed he had a blood alcohol level of .181 percent.
Steliga faces trial on misdemeanor charges of terroristic threats, simple assault and disorderly conduct.
"We had a number of officers down there who were heavily armed and ready to do what they needed to do," Moerschbacher said.
It was unknown by press time if Steliga is still a student at Penn State.
Sara Ganim can be reached at 231-4616.

[RocketFoot]

I wouldn't wanna get shot with a pellet gun anymore than a real gun! This guy needs to go down!

[jmiro]

I am in agreement. The idea that it was a pellet gun does not change the fact that he threatened the person and showed some intent of injury. Then the guy acts like a tool when they question him.

[Slipstik]

I wouldn't wanna get shot with a pellet gun anymore than a real gun! This guy needs to go down!

Have no fear! I've lived here most of my life. They reserve SPECIAL deep dark holes for these types of offenders. The local DA screws up from time to time, but even he can't miss this slam dunk.

[ErSwnn]

Send 'em to school...buy 'em books....and they still spell taters with a p. What an idiot.

[knight0334]

Where are the supposed "gun charges"? Sounds like a media catch phrase to scare the masses into belief guns are a problem.

[GlockedAndLoaded]

Sounds like a media catch phrase to scare the masses into belief guns are a problem.


Sounds like this idiot had a object resembling closely a real firearm in a dorm and was acting in an overtly threatening manner. If not a "gun charge" I'm sure they could find something else. So take a deep breath. We all know the media hates us but gun charge is the least of our word choice problems.

[TaePo]

As a comrade from PRNJ, does he face any charges for possessing or owning that weapon/BB gun?

I was just wondering if he had to bring it back to NJ before their law applied. I believe in NJ you need a license to just buy a bb gun.

Otherwise, I guess, people from NY, MD, NJ can just come to PA and buy what they need.

But in reality, I really, really hate when drug and alcohol use is used as an excuse or as extenuating circumstances to lessen charges. Maybe one should not do such things if they tend to remove your inhibitions too much.

[ithinkimamedic]

As a comrade from PRNJ, does he face any charges for possessing or owning that weapon/BB gun?

No, anyone can go to walmart and purchase one. There may be stipulations of being age 18 but there is no law that I am aware of.

But in reality, I really, really hate when drug and alcohol use is used as an excuse or as extenuating circumstances to lessen charges. Maybe one should not do such things if they tend to remove your inhibitions too much.

It is my experience that in this area they do not consider drug/alcohol as an excuse or extenuating circumstance to lessen the charges. In fact it generally adds a charge of PD or underage, or both. FWIW I'm not a cop but that is generally what I have experienced in my line or work and the charges I have seen people get.

[Seventy4Blazer]

I wouldn't wanna get shot with a pellet gun anymore than a real gun! This guy needs to go down!

HA!!! i agree!

i was shot with a pellet gun when i was 15. OUCH!

they are proof that shot placement is key. they CAN and HAVE killed.