CLEARFIELD – A Curwensville man was convicted on Wednesday of severely assaulting his father and causing his hospitalization in a medically-induced coma.
Noah B. Brady, 20, was convicted of felony aggravated assault/causes serious bodily injury, as well as misdemeanor simple assault (both attempts to cause and causes bodily injury), simple assault/physical menace and disorderly conduct for his actions April 15, 2023.
He was found not guilty of aggravated assault/attempts to cause serious bodily injury.
It took jurors approximately three hours to reach their verdict with court recovening once about an hour into deliberations for them to hear the jury instructions again for both aggravated assault and “beyond reasonable doubt.”
They also requested to view the photograph of the victim’s injuries.
“Clearly they took their time and they came to the right conclusion,” said District Attorney Ryan Sayers, adding the investigative efforts of Clearfield Regional police—specifically Sgt. Jon Walker—enabled them to get justice for the victim and his family.
On the felony-one aggravated assault conviction, Brady faces a minimum sentence of 36 to 54 months, with a possible maximum sentence of 20 years.
Following the verdict, Brady had his bail revoked and he was remanded into the custody of sheriff’s deputies. He will be scheduled for sentencing within 60 days.
The victim told jurors he got into a verbal altercation with Brady April 15, 2023 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.
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, 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, claiming his actions were self-defense out of fear his father might shoot him.
But, when court reconvened Wednesday, the commonwealth’s case was reopened in rebuttal for Walker to retake the stand and testify further on his search of the victim’s residence April 16, 2023.
Walker said during his search, he primarily focused on the immediate kitchen and living areas where the assault occurred, and no firearms were found there.
In his closing arguments, Sayers said Brady admitted to commission of the crimes but wanted to claim “self-defense” to justify them. He asked jurors to hold Brady accountable and grant justice to his victim.