CLEARFIELD – A Bellefonte man accused of attempted murder for shooting a man outside the Osceola Mills VFW was sentenced to state prison Monday.
Robert Dwayne Hanson, 56, 187 Raymond Rd., Bellefonte, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of aggravated assault and person not to possess firearm.
After questioning the length of the sentence in the plea agreement President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman sentenced Hanson to three to 10 years in state prison.
Hanson was originally charged with criminal attempt-murder after a fight outside the VFW in Osceola Mills in April of 2015.
Both men suffered gunshot wounds with the victim having injuries to his chest area, including his right lung. Hanson has been incarcerated since the charges were filed in July of 2015.
Hanson’s attorney, Thomas Dickey, asked the court prior to sentencing to accept the plea. He stated that he felt this was a fair compromise in this case because Hanson was also shot and the victim was charged for his actions.
Ammerman noted that he thought District Attorney William A. Shaw Jr. would be representing the Commonwealth in this case.
He did comment that if Hanson had been convicted of his original charges he could have been facing 20 to 25 years in prison.
Ammerman decided to accept the plea he said because Shaw asked him to and because in bar fights typically those involved have different stories.
“Thank God nobody got killed,” he stated.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, while Hanson was sitting in the VFW bar, he told a woman he had gotten a gun from somebody and that he was going to shoot Jeff Swanson because he had ripped him off.
The female then left the VFW and went home where she called another bar to talk to the victim. The female told Swanson to stay away from Hanson because he had a gun and was going to shoot him.
At approximately 1:30 pm, Swanson left the other bar and walked to the VFW, opened the door and yelled for Hanson to come outside.
Hanson walked to the same door, opened it and stepped outside. The two men began to argue.
Swanson allegedly slapped Hanson across the face and then punched him several times in the face and head. Hanson fell onto the sidewalk. At this time, the gun that was in Hanson’s waist fell to the ground. Hanson and Swanson struggled over the gun. During the struggle, the gun went off and one shot was fired up into the air. A second shot went off grazing Hanson on the side of the head.
Swanson then began to walk away. He walked approximately 15 feet when Hanson yelled to Swanson, “Hey Jeff.” After Swanson stopped and turned around, Hanson then fired the revolver with the shot striking Swanson in the right side of his chest.
An employee of the VFW phoned 911 while the fight was taking place. Emergency personnel quickly arrived at the scene and provided medical treatment.
Both Hanson and Swanson were transported by ambulance and then by helicopter to UPMC Altoona where they received treatment for their injuries. Hanson was treated for minor injuries.
Swanson is charged with simple assault and harassment for this incident. He is free on $10,000, unsecured bail.
A witness told police that he gave Hanson a gun prior to the shooting after Hanson asked to borrow it. The witness said he had no idea Hanson was going to use the gun to shoot someone. He did comment that he thought Swanson owed Hanson $9,000 and Hanson told him that Swanson had ripped him off.
