Three Penn State Students Charged In November Assault
Three Penn State students were arrested and charged by State College police Tuesday for their alleged connection to a November 4 assault that left a man hospitalized, according to court documents.
Valentino Scarpone, 21, and Keith Onimus, 22, were individually charged with one count each of felony aggravated assault, second-degree misdemeanor simple assault, and summary charges of harassment and disorderly conduct.
Joseph Keffer, 22, was charged with one count each of third-degree misdemeanor simple assault and summary charges of harassment and disorderly conduct.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, a fight broke out near Champs Downtown after a verbal argument over a Philadelphia Phillies game escalated into the victim being “jumped.”
The arresting officer alleged Scarpone and Onimus “had the opportunity to separate” on multiple occasions after fighting ceased but “continued to physically re-engage the victim.” Both suspects were observed “striking and kicking the victim in the head and torso areas” multiple times throughout the entire altercation.
Keffer is additionally alleged to have struck the victim in the same areas, however, for a smaller window of time.
The unnamed victim was transported to Mount Nittany Medical Center for facial swelling and discoloration around his eye, jaw pain, a facial contusion, and “several injuries to his body,” according to court documents.
A spokesperson for Penn State said the three suspects are still currently enrolled but left open the possibility of the university taking further disciplinary action.
“Any student found to have violated the student code of conduct – whether on campus or off — also will be held accountable by the office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response,” wrote the spokesperson.
The preliminary hearing date for all three suspects is scheduled for March 15.
Your ad blocker is on.
Please choose an option below.
Purchase a Subscription!