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Three get probation for role in Struthers brawl
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Three people who pleaded guilty for their roles in a brawl in Struthers in 2013 were sentenced to probation in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
Marissa Weidner, 20, was sentenced Tuesday on a misdemeanor charge of riot while Carmen Weidner, 19, and Ean Weidner, 42, were both sentenced on a single charge each of aggravated riot, a third-degree felony.
The three were accused of taking part in a brawl April 6, 2013, in which a man and woman were attacked in their yard and the man’s nose was broken. The woman has since died, but her death was not related to anything that happened during the brawl, said Rob Andrews, an assistant county prosecutor.
Judge Maureen Sweeney of common pleas court placed Marissa Weidner on a one-year nonreporting probation and placed the other two on two years’ probation.
Andrews said the fight was among several females over something posted on a social media website. The Weidners heard of the fight and went because a 12-year-old member of the family supposedly was involved.
The Weidners became inflamed when they saw the homeowner and his wife at the fight and thought they were part of the brawl when they actually were just trying to stop people from fighting in their yard, Andrews said.
Lawyers for all three said their clients deeply regret their actions and misunderstood the actions of the homeowners when they arrived.
“My client misread the facts. Obviously, he was trying to protect his daughter when this was happening,” said Gary Van Brocklin, who is the attorney for Ean Weidner.
“In retrospect, I wish I would’ve waited for the police,” added Ean Weidner. “It was a situation that got out of hand and got away from me.”
James Wise, attorney for Marissa Weidner, said the entire dispute grew out of bullying, and his client and her family tried to stop it, but instead made matters worse.
“I’m not happy with the result that happened,” Marissa Weidner said.
Three other adults also were indicted in the case. One has a sentencing date set for later this month, while the other two cases are pending.