RSS | Comments | Tell a Friend | Larger Text | Smaller Text

Local News

Friday, March 07, 2008

Man sentenced for fatal stabbing

The Granary Story one ad
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

Comment on This Story
NOTE: Comment moderation has been enabled. If you see a comment that violates our Electronic User Agreement, please e-mail rebeccaconklin@thecourier.com. Thank you. If you are having problems viewing this Web page, please contact our Internet Department to help us diagnose and correct the problem. We may contact you for more information. Thanks in advance.
Your e-mail address will not be displayed on this website or shared with anyone. It is used by our online editor for contacting purposes.
Comments are moderated by The Courier according to its Electronic User Agreement within one business day. Comments that slander others or include language that violates the agreement will be rejected. All comments that impart opinion and information are welcome.
   VIRTUAL VILLAGE
TisaWee Farm

BUILD IT UP: Keep tabs on the chickens as community blogger Chris Cooperrider builds her homestead by hand.


Far Flung Guest Book

DROP A LINE: Whether you're always here or just passing through, visit and sign our online Guest Book on the Far Flung blog.


Virtual Village
   PHOTO GALLERY
Randy's Seen

IMAGE BLOG: Go behind the scenes with Courier photographer Randy Roberts.


You can purchase photographs from The Courier through our easy-to-use online system. Get prints, mousepads, T-shirts and more!

   LOCAL NEWS
  LATEST COMMENTS Last 10 comments submitted by our readers...
Doug Berger wrote in article "Group protests 'cap and trade'":
Freedom to burn coal?
“ They don't have any real arguments against cap and trade because they refuse to understand it. They'd rather wear their flags an... ” Read More...
7/3/2009 11:11:11 PM
Julie Graber wrote in article "Slavery is alive and thriving":
Brooke Ludi
“ WOW! My parent just sent me the link to this article. I was Brooke's babysitter for years (I was Julie Hostetler then.) I now... ” Read More...
7/3/2009 11:10:29 PM
Brandon King wrote in article "Group protests 'cap and trade'":
cap and trade
“ Awful hot start to July. I thought I was going to burn to death with the 68 degrees we had on Thursday. I thought the planet wa... ” Read More...
7/3/2009 10:38:31 PM
Michael wrote in article "Hancock woman defrauded in coin buying scam: Ohio AG":
Coin Scam
“ Don't these people know how to hang up a phone? ” Read More...
7/3/2009 3:27:31 PM
Ellen Katka wrote in article "Frost thrust into national spotlight over prom":
Tyler Frost
“ It "frosts" me that Tyler shows so little respect for his own word. More and more a word is not a persons bond. Since Tyler and... ” Read More...
7/3/2009 1:52:33 PM
. wrote in article "VB school board has a say on tax breaks":
Say YES!
“ I would hope that VB will say yes. Completely stupid on the Board's part if they say no. Yes, there will be a reduction in pro... ” Read More...
7/3/2009 1:47:47 PM
R. Hanzely wrote in article "Group protests 'cap and trade'":
cap and trade
“ I wonder how hot this planet has to get before we do something about it, then it will cost more. I don't believe the estimate of... ” Read More...
7/3/2009 12:53:23 PM
Lew wrote in article "Findlay's population falls again":
Stat checking
“ The writer may want to apply a calculator to the totals for the villages in Hancock County. Even though their numbers decreased... ” Read More...
7/3/2009 12:25:18 PM
Reydolfo Cruz wrote in article "Sobriety stops net no OVI arrests":
some of you don't deserve freedom
“ Some of the posters have missed the point. Re-read my original post.
Todd Lucas,the direct answer to your question is "NO". My... ” Read More...
7/3/2009 10:50:24 AM
Josh Woodward wrote in article "Group protests 'cap and trade'":
Aww, so cute!
“ They just... *sniffle sniffle*... love their country sooo much! ” Read More...
7/3/2009 10:38:15 AM
  U.S. Headlines
  World News
  Ohio News
News Briefs No newspaper on Saturday
The Courier won't be published on Saturday, in observance of the July 4th holiday. All newspaper offices will be closed today.

The Courier will be published on Monday, and the newsroom will begin working on that newspaper at 5 p.m. Sunday.

Other Courier offices will resume operations at 8 a.m. Monday.

During the holiday weekend, Courier subscribers who have a question or complaint about newspaper delivery may call the circulation department at 419-422-5158 and leave a voice mail message.



Online news

While there won't be another Courier newspaper until Monday, look for news and sports updates this weekend at The Courier's Web site, www.thecourier.com.

Series of garage break-ins reported
Break-ins have been reported in seven garages in an area just south of downtown this week, according to Findlay police.

Residents on Washington Avenue, First Street, Maple Avenue, and Lima Street reported missing power tools and other equipment. The break-ins were reported to police Tuesday.

Among the missing items was a $500 Dewalt tool kit, stolen from a Lima Street garage.

There are no suspects in the streak of burglaries, according to police. However, according to the report, residents in the area reported seeing young people using lawn furniture to barricade alleys in the area Monday night.

Ottawa 'tea party'
OTTAWA -- Pastor Larry Bibler will sponsor a "tea party" rally at 1 p.m. Saturday on the steps of the Putnam County Courthouse in Ottawa.

Bibler intends the rally to celebrate freedom and protest taxes.