Delmont man, 83, sentenced to state prison for attempted murder of neighbor

An 83-year-old wheelchair-bound Delmont man was sentenced Friday to serve up to eight years in state prison for the 2019 attempted murder of his neighbor.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Tim Krieger said prison confinement was not the preferred option but was the one that offered the best choice to ensure the safety of the community and the man who police said fired a shot from a rifle four years ago in an unsuccessful bid to kill his neighbor.

Terrance Kurhansky pleaded guilty in June to attempted homicide, two counts of aggravated assault, two weapons offenses and charges of reckless endangerment and simple assault in connection with the Sept. 17, 2019 incident.

“It’s a sad case from every angle,” Krieger said. “You subjected the (neighbors) to potential injury and death and years of stress. I have to do what makes the most sense for the commonwealth taxpayers. And, it sounds like the state prison is probably better for you than where you are.”

Police said Kurhansky used a handmade rifle to shoot at his neighbor’s home. Investigators contended Kurhansky believed his neighbor was attempting to attack him with high-frequency radio waves and, according to testimony from a previous hearing, his lawyer claimed Kurhansky covered his home in foil in an attempt to stave off the radio waves before the shooting.

Kurhansky has battled mental issues issues for years and for the last year has lived on house arrest at a senior care home in Coraopolis after he sustained a back injury while incarcerated at the county jail. Probation officials said Kurhansky has not received mental health treatment at the senior home, and his brother described the facility as bare bones and unclean.

Assistant District Attorney Katie Ranker argued for Kurhansky to receive a prison sentence.

“As heartbreaking as this case is and as devastating as this case has been, I still have some concerns. I believe the defendant is minimizing his culpability, and there are other concerns for safety of the community because he’s still operating under some of the same delusions that caused this crime,” Ranker said.

Defense attorney James Crosby said Kurhansky’s physical condition has deteriorated and said doctors contend his client will not survive a prison term.

“I don’t want to see him die in prison. If you give him a state prison, he dies in prison. He’s certainly not a threat anymore,” Crosby said.

The judge said he considered Kurhansky’s condition but ultimately decided the elderly care unit at the State Correctional Institution at Laurel Highlands in Somerset County would provide him with the best care.

Krieger ordered Kurhansky be returned to the senior center until he can be transferred directly to the state prison to serve a 4-to-8 year prison term. Kurhansky was given credit for more than three years he served in jail after his arrest and will be eligible for parole next year.