New Florence man seeks dismissal of criminal case for speedy trial violation

A New Florence man has asked that criminal charges that he assault police who attempted to arrest him two years ago be dismissed because Westmoreland County prosecutors violated his speedy trial rights.

Ray A. Shetler Jr., 38, has been in jail since December 2021 after he was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, disarming of a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest in connection with an incident at a mobile home in Seward. During the incident, members of the Pennsylvania State Police and county sheriff’s office attempted to arrest him on an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court for a probation revocation hearing.

Authorities contended Shetler violated terms of his probation for a theft conviction in 2018 that was related to the fatal shooting three years earlier of St. Clair Township Police officer Lloyd Reed. Shetler was found guilty of stealing a vehicle during as he fled from police following Reed’s fatal shooting. A Westmoreland County jury acquitted Shetler of murder charges related to the officer’s death.

Prosecutors contended Shelter shot and killed Reed when he responded in uniform to a domestic violence call.

Shetler was later accused of violating terms of his probation and failed to appear for a court hearing in 2021 to answer those allegations.

Prosecutors said Shetler was located at a home in Seward and as police attempted to take him into custody he hid beneath a folded futon covered with blankets, fought with officers and headbutted a sheriff’s deputy. The deputy suffered head and shoulder injuries that required hospital treatment, police said.

Shetler also was injured after he was shot in the eye with a Taser.

Assistant Public Defender Michael Garofalo wrote that prosecutors failed to bring Shetler to trial within the time frame set by the state’s speedy trial law. Criminal defendants, who are in jail must be brought to trial with six months. That time period can be extended by defense-prompted delays.

Shetler’s trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 2. He is scheduled to appear in court on Monday for a pretrial hearing before Westmoreland County Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio.