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Local News

Friday, March 07, 2008

Man sentenced for fatal stabbing

Hancock Federal Credit Union
By J. STEVEN DILLON

STAFF WRITER

A McComb man, scheduled to go on trial Monday for the stabbing death of a man outside Brandy's night club last summer, admitted his guilt Thursday and was sentenced to at least 15 years in prison.

In an unexpected development, Aaron H. Hernandez, 20, pleaded guilty to the murder of Andrew C. Coleman, 22, of Findlay.

Hancock County Common Pleas Court Judge Reg Routson sentenced him to life in prison for the unclassified felony offense. The defendant, who did not speak at sentencing, will have to serve 15 years before being considered for parole.

Hancock County Prosecutor Mark Miller said Thursday his staff was preparing for trial when Hernandez agreed to a plea bargain.

"We had been talking with his attorney, but it didn't appear that we could get it done," Miller said. "We were surprised that it happened."

The case was resolved after prosecutors agreed to dismiss a tampering with evidence charge. That charge was related to the murder weapon, which was never found.

Authorities say Hernandez used a "butterfly" style knife to stab Coleman, then discarded the weapon.

"I'm pleased for the victim's family," Miller said after the hearing Thursday. "This means they won't have to go through a trial and can have some sense of closure."

Hernandez's attorney, Greg Meyers, the senior assistant state public defender, could not be reached for comment Thursday night.

Had the case gone to trial, the defense had been expected to claim Hernandez, if anything, was guilty of voluntary manslaughter, a less serious offense which carries a maximum 10-year sentence.

But Miller said he had been prepared to introduce evidence that would have proven Hernandez purposely caused the death of Coleman.

"We felt murder was the appropriate charge in this case," Miller said. "If you take a knife and plunge it into somebody's chest in Hancock County and kill them, it's murder."

Hernandez, originally from Texas, had been living with relatives in Leipsic but was also staying at a residence in McComb at times last summer.

Findlay police found him hiding in an attic at the McComb home of his cousin, Jose A. Zamora, several hours after Coleman died early June 8.

Zamora, authorities said, had been with Hernandez and two other friends at Brandy's, and they were among a group of patrons leaving the popular night spot when trouble began around closing time.

Coleman, who Hernandez didn't know, was also leaving the bar.

Miller said Hernandez got into an argument and hit another man just outside the bar, before getting into another confrontation, this time with Coleman.

"It was verbal, apparently nothing physical, at that point," Miller said.

The two separated, according to witnesses, and Hernandez had gotten into a car to leave the parking lot when Coleman and Zamora began to argue outside the car.

Hernandez got out of the vehicle and began fist fighting with Coleman near Glessner Avenue, on the east side of Brandy's.

Hernandez then pulled out a small knife and stabbed Coleman in the upper chest.

Witnesses told police that Coleman fell to his knees. Hernandez ran, dropped the knife, then picked it up and jumped in the car. The vehicle left the area.

Coleman collapsed after suffering a wound which had lacerated his left pulmonary artery. He was pronounced dead a short time later at Blanchard Valley Hospital.

Hernandez was arrested several hours later in McComb and has been held ever since in the Hancock County jail on $500,000 bond.

He had been scheduled to go on trial in October, but the trial was postponed after he attacked his first attorney in court. The state public defender's office was later assigned the case.

Miller said there was never an identity issue in the case — several eyewitnesses described Hernandez as Coleman's killer — but police never got a good explanation why Hernandez stabbed Coleman.

"It's one of those things we really haven't been able to figure out," Miller said. "It's a classic example of a senseless loss of human life."

Contact staff writer J. Steven Dillon at:

(419) 427-8423

Send an e-mail to Steve Dillon

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After fighting a house fire early Monday at 815 Howard St., firefighters found 20 marijuana plants in the residence.

"They ran across it and called us," said police Sgt. Justin Hendren with the Hancock County METRICH Drug Enforcement Unit.

Police seized all 20 plants, and Hendren said charges are pending.

High-powered growing lights, fans, and a box filled with dried marijuana were also found in the house, according to a police report.

Investigators said an electrical short started the fire before 3 a.m. Monday.

The blaze caused an estimated $12,000 in damage to the residence, owned by Amanda Crawford. No one was injured, according to the Findlay Fire Department.

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The curbside recycling program will be held Tuesday through Thursday, Sept. 7-9.

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Fletcher began his patrol career in 2002 after graduating from the 139th Academy class and has been assigned to the Findlay post since.

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There will be no classes and the college offices will be closed.

Classes will resume and offices will open again on Tuesday.

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