CLEARFIELD – The trial began Tuesday for the Curwensville man accused of severely assaulting his father and causing his hospitalization in a medically-induced coma.
Noah B. Brady, 20, is charged by Clearfield Regional police with felony aggravated assault, as well as misdemeanor simple assault (two counts) and disorderly conduct for his alleged actions April 15, 2023.
The victim told jurors he got into a verbal altercation with Brady that day when he came to his Lawrence Township residence around supper time, asking to go through his (the victim’s) mobile phone.
He said he permitted Brady to do so, and afterwards, asked if he found what he was looking for. When Brady indicated “no,” the victim demanded he be treated with respect in his home.
The victim then started to turn his back to Brady and resumed his household chores.
Allegedly, this is when Brady struck him in the back of his head, and once he hit the floor, struck him several more times with what he believes could have been a pipe or crowbar-like metal object.
Afterwards, he said Brady stood over him, boasting of how this made him the “toughest guy” in Clearfield now. The victim couldn’t recall many other details besides later waking up in a hospital facility.
He said he had to undergo various medical procedures to repair his head, facial and jaw areas, as well as to have his eyes “stitched” back in.
The victim said he had basically no health problems prior to the assault, but for the past year and a couple of months, he has been taking seizures.
The victim’s brother said he got a call from the victim that evening, April 15, 2023. Because he reported having been assaulted and was very incoherent, he responded to the victim’s home with his wife.
As he entered the living area, he observed “blood everywhere.” The victim’s eyes and lips were swollen and he was still bleeding profusely from his head and face areas.
The man called 911 to send an ambulance but ultimately it was decided that it would be much quicker to transport the victim to Penn Highlands Clearfield by personal vehicle.
He said his wife photographed the victim’s injuries within minutes of their arrival, and they both assisted him—step-by-step—to the vehicle for hospital transport since he was unable to see due to the severity of his eye injuries.
Trauma Surgeon Philip Vuocolo accepted the victim’s transfer to Penn Highlands DuBois April 16, 2023, noting he was a “Level A” trauma team activation, which is for patients with the most serious injuries.
He said the victim had suffered “massive” brain, head and facial injuries. He required intubation, and was also placed in a medically-induced coma due to brain swelling and bleeding.
The victim was in “jeopardy” of losing his life and, Vuocolo explained, how having him in the sedated state gave him a better chance of survival since it kept him calm and gave his brain time to heal.
He said the victim was kept in that medically-induced coma for about 16 or 17 days.
While hospitalized, he said the victim had blood clots form in his legs, which were likely from his prolonged immobilization. They traveled to his lungs and the victim suffered a pulmonary embolism.
Vuocolo said the traumatic brain injury now puts the victim at a higher risk to take seizures. He’s also more at risk for blood clots.
On April 16, 2023, Sgt. Jon Walker was notified by Clearfield County Control of an assault patient who had been hospitalized sometime overnight in the intensive care unit at Penn Highlands DuBois.
He requested DuBois City police obtain basic incident details. Once confirmed to have occurred within his primary jurisdiction, Walker contacted the caller and responded to the victim’s residence.
There he observed blood in the living area—particularly on the floor with some also on furniture but was unable to locate any tool or object that indicated it was used to commit the assault.
Walker located Brady and he was photographed at the Clearfield Regional police station. He noted that Brady had visible injuries to his right hand—namely his knuckles—and arm.
Brady testified in his own defense, telling jurors a much different story of how he went to his father’s around lunchtime to work on his vehicle and have his father’s help.
He said they discovered he needed a special part and traveled together to pick it up, then returned back to his father’s residence after stopping for lunch.
Brady said once his vehicle was repaired, he traveled to his buddy’s garage, and while there, learned of “vulgar” text messages his father had sent about one of his female friends to her ex-boyfriend.
He claimed that he called his father to address the text messages and traveled back to his residence around 6 p.m. On the way, he reportedly learned about more messages.
After he searched his father’s phone on arrival, Brady said his father got real defensive and began screaming in his face before shoving him into the doorway and a table behind him, which made him fall.
Brady said he was able to get right back up and punch his father in the jaw, knocking him to the ground by the couch just inside the living area.
He claimed his father appeared to be reaching behind the couch where he knows his father keeps his guns, so he got on top of him and struck him about three or four times.
Brady said his actions were out of fear that his father might shoot him, and he left without calling for help because he didn’t see any blood and didn’t think it was that bad.
Minutes after he left, Brady said his father called him, they talked and he (his father) sounded coherent so he continued to believe everything was “fine.”
Under cross-examination, Brady was pressed by District Attorney Ryan Sayers about why he didn’t just leave since he was a matter of steps from the door.
Brady claimed he didn’t have a chance, adding everything happened so quick, and there was also the fear of what his father might do including chase after him with a gun.
So, you got on top of him and struck him three or four more times, Sayers stated, asking if the victim made any attempts to swing back at him. Brady said “no.”
Court reconvenes at 9 a.m. Wednesday with closing arguments after which Judge Paul Cherry will give jurors their instructions and send them into their deliberations.
Brady’s bail was previously set at $50,000 monetary, which online court documents indicate was posted April 17, 2023.
