Judge dismisses aggravated assault charges on Snee, Marsh

BY STACI WILSON

A Susquehanna County judge dismissed the most serious charges leveled against Daniel Snee and Dana Marsh following a brawl outside a Bridgewater Twp. bar that sent two men to the hospital on September 11, 2010.

Snee, 25, Hallstead, and Marsh, 24, Montrose, had each faced two felony aggravated assault charges stemming from the incident that occurred in the parking lot of the Emberz Restaurant and Bar. Those charges- the most serious of the six counts lodged against each man – were dismissed by President Judge Kenneth Seamans in an order handed down May 13.

The judge found that no evidence was produced by the state attorney general’s office, the agency prosecuting Snee and Marsh, that showed the men intended to bring about a life threatening injury to either victim.

“These defendants were pursued by the victims who unfortunately for them got the worse of the two separate altercations,” stated Judge Seamans in the court order.

The court found that although Snee and Marsh were initially charged with assaulting both victims, testimony in the case indicated that actually two separate fights were occurring at the same time.

Snee and Marsh both still face one count of simple assault and one count of recklessly endangering another person.

In the order, the judge stated that the evidence supported only one set of counts per defendant with the counts pertaining to only one victim in each case.

Of the six counts lodged initially against the two men only two charges remain and will move forward for trial.

Defense attorney Paul Ackourey had filed the motion asking the court to dismiss the charges in February. The court hearing was held Apr. 28.

A trial date has not yet been set.