Most serious charges against Sacramento man withdrawn for fireworks incident

Sep. 16—TREMONT — Prosecutors withdrew the most serious charges Thursday against a Sacramento man accused of setting off fireworks at another person, hitting him in the ribs in Hubley Twp. on July 16.

Ernest K. Wertz, 74, of 511 Pine Drive, was scheduled to appear before Magisterial District Judge David J. Rossi for a preliminary hearing.

Wertz faced charges of felony endangering the welfare of children; misdemeanor simple assault; and summary offenses of harassment, disorderly conduct, consumer fireworks discharged within 150 feet of an occupied structure and consumer fireworks discharged into or at a vehicle, building or person.

He entered guilty pleas to the summary charges of harassment, disorderly conduct and consumer fireworks discharged within 150 feet of an occupied structure, and faces fines and court costs.

With the guilty pleas, Assistant District Attorney Shelby G. Hostetter and the arresting officer, state police Trooper Bradley Tymchyshyn, of the Schuylkill Haven station, withdrew the remaining charges.

Tymchyshyn said he was called to 509 Pine Drive for a report of Wertz shooting "bottle rockets" at the property.

At the scene, Johnna Thomas reported her 9-year-old son was hit by one of the fireworks, causing an injury to a rib that required him to be taken by EMS to Lebanon Valley Health for treatment, Tymchyshyn said.

Tymchyshyn said he was shown pieces of bottle rockets in the rear yard of 509 Pine Drive and also a video showing the boy running from the area holding his ribs.

The child's mother said she began filming the incident after Wertz, her neighbor, began shooting the fireworks between the fencing on his rear porch toward her and her children.

Thomas also reported there were four other children in the area at the time and that her son was suffering from a rib bruise as a result of being hit, according to Tymchyshyn