John A. Pino, who testified he did not remember the events of Aug. 26, 2013, will remember Tuesday as the day a Schuylkill County jury convicted him of 18 crimes stemming from those events that left Saint Clair's police chief unable to work.
Pino, 70, of Shenandoah, who said he had seen aliens on that day, did not react as the jury of six men and six women convicted him of three counts of aggravated assault, five of simple assault, six of recklessly endangering another person and one each of resisting arrest, fleeing or eluding police, accident involving damage to attended vehicle or property and retail theft, and acquitted him of two counts of aggravated assault. Jurors deliberated approximately five hours before reaching their verdict.
President Judge William E. Baldwin, who presided over the two-day trial, ordered preparation of a presentence investigation but did not immediately schedule Pino's sentencing. He did not rule on 17 summary charges prosecutors filed against Pino, saying he would do so at the time of sentencing.
After the verdict, Pino returned to prison, where he is being held in lieu of $250,000 straight cash bail.
Prosecutors filed two separate cases against Pino, although the events in each occurred the same day, Aug. 26, 2103.
In the first case, which involved only the retail theft charge, Saint Clair police alleged Pino stole about $276 worth of meat and seafood from Wal-Mart Supercenter, 500 Terry Rich Blvd.
In the second, state police at Frackville charged Pino with leading officers on a chase on Route 61, Interstate 81 and Route 54, ending on White Owl Road in Mahanoy Township, just outside Mahanoy City.
During the chase, according to prosecutors, Saint Clair police Chief Michael P. Carey suffered back, ankle and other injuries when Pino rammed his white Ford Explorer sport utility vehicle into Carey's police car. Carey testified on Monday that he still is receiving treatment for his injuries and has not returned to work.
Assistant Public Defender Kent D. Watkins, Pino's lawyer, said in his closing argument that his client did not have the intent or capacity to commit the crimes.
"He seems to be in a different world," Watkins said of Pino. Police officers had testified Pino did not react to what was going on during the chase, he said.
Furthermore, the chase resulted from a retail theft, according to Watkins.
"What was the need for all this?" he asked.
Pino had testified earlier Tuesday that he did not remember going to Wal-Mart or being in the chase.
"That day, I was seeing UFOs and voices telling me to go home," he said. "There were aliens in my kitchen."
"Do you remember getting in your vehicle?" Watkins asked him.
"Not really," Pino answered. "I must have drove. I went to Wal-Mart."
First Assistant District Attorney Maria T. Casey emphasized in her closing argument the dangers Pino posed to the public, saying the blame for what occurred belonged to him.
"Every chance he had to stop and yield to police, he refused," she said. "He keeps going. He keeps driving."
Casey emphasized the incident where Pino drove his SUV into the police cars of Carey and Frackville borough Patrolman Christopher Hand, and nearly ran over state police Trooper Michael Allar.
Watkins declined to comment on the verdict.
Casey expressed her appreciation for the jurors, whom she said were very thorough in their work; state police Trooper Melissa A. Kyper, the prosecuting officer, whom she called "excellent (and) very thorough"; and Assistant District Attorney Debra A. Smith, who assisted in the prosecution.
She said the case emphasized how brave police officers are, and how they protected everyone in the area from Pino's dangerous actions.
"These men and women protect and serve us," Casey said. "They were all doing their jobs that day and protecting us."Defendant: John A. Pino
Age: 70
Residence: Shenandoah
Verdict: Guilty of three counts of aggravated assault, five of simple assault, six of recklessly endangerign another person and one each of resisting arrest, fleeing or eluding police, accident involving damage to attended vehicle or property and retail theft; not guilty of two counts of aggravated assault