Hearing Held for Three Members of Windham Community Fire Department 28

August 29^th 2007

Beverly Vasey, Charles Vasey and Charlie Rogers together faced a summary hearing before Magistrate District Judge Fred Wheaton in Wysox on Wednesday, August 29^th 2007. The charges, brought by Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Creedon as a result of an incident on Cotton Hollow Road in Windham Township on May 17^th, included obstructing highways after they closed down a stretch of road without proper authorization. The Vaseys faced additional charges of disorderly conduct.

Trooper Creedon called six witnesses. They testified that indeed Bev Vasey and Charles Rogers, in vest uniform as fire police, had informed each one that the road was closed. Their directions included advice to “wait here;” “stay in your car;” “turn your car around and leave;” and “you can’t go through.”

One witness testified that she heard the scanner in Fire Chief Charles Vasey’s truck, which was parked in the roadway, relate a message from the emergency services that Vasey had contacted. The message was that “he had no authority to shut down the roadway” but they did it anyway.

All witnesses related that no emergency was evident and some were told by Bev Vasey that if they did not follow her orders, she “would have them arrested.”

Cletus Roediger acknowledged damaging Charles Vasey’s truck as his reaction to what Roediger termed Vasey’s harassment by Vasey several times stopping or slowing in front of Roediger’s house and taking pictures. When Roediger asked Vasey to leave him alone and approached his truck with a big rock, Vasey replied, “Go ahead Buddy.” This was the incident that precipitated the road being closed on May 17^th 2007.

Trooper Creedon entered as evidence a tape recording and transcript of Charles Vasey’s call to 911 on May 17^th 2007 plus pictures Vasey took. Creedon had confiscated Vasey’s camera at the scene.

Attorney Fred Mayer, defense attorney for the Vaseys and Rogers, called no witnesses. None of the three Windham Community Fire Department 28 members took the stand to offer any testimony in their own defense.

Attorney Mayer stated his preference to submit a written summation, after which Trooper Creedon will submit his written case summation. Wheaton will then render his decision.

The preliminary hearing for additional charges pending against Charles Vasey was postponed until attorneys receive Judge Wheaton’s ruling for the charges heard on August 29^th.