Carbon trial in gun-pointing incident hits snag

The Carbon County trial of a man charged in a gun-pointing incident continued unexpectedly Wednesday into a third day.

Scott Timothy Watkins, 52, of New Tripoli, is charged with recklessly endangering another person and simple assault.

He admitted Wednesday that he pointed a gun at a security guard but claimed he did it out of fear and because he felt threatened.

State police at Lehighton charged that on May 14, 2016, at the Sunny Rest Lodge resort in Lower Towamensing Township, Watkins placed the barrel of a handgun against the left cheek of a security guard during an incident at his camper.

On Wednesday President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II called a recess, telling the jury panel that a legal question had developed that required a meeting between him, Assistant District Attorney Cynthia Ann Dyrda Hatton and defense attorney Brian Collins.

That announcement came after the afternoon session of the trial started at 1:20 p.m.

After Collins completed his case and rested, and as Hatton prepared to call Lisa Watkins, the defendant’s wife as a rebuttal witness, Nanovic took a recess. The recess lasted over two hours as the attorneys met in Nanovic’s chambers to discuss the matter.

The trial was scheduled to resume this morning and Nanovic told the jury he felt the case would conclude today, but added, “It will be a full day of court.”

Defendant testifies

Collins called Scott Watkins as the first witness Wednesday morning.

Watkins admitted he pointed a handgun at security guard Christopher Wean on the evening of May 14, but said he felt threatened by Wean at the time.

Watkins denied being intoxicated, as testimony from commonwealth witnesses had alleged, saying he had only one drink prior to the incident and didn’t think he drank all of that.

Watkins recounted that he and his wife arrived at the resort, a clothing-optional facility, about 8:30 p.m. and attended a deck party. A short time later, Wean and his partner Jason Terkan arrived and were greeting people.

Watkins said that it was a members-only day at the resort as the new season was beginning. He said he knew both men because when they started with the resort he was working as a security guard and helped train them.

He said his wife told him she was getting a ride with Wean and Terkan, in their golf cart to their camper.

He said about 20 minutes went by and he started to wonder where his wife was. He said he got into his truck and drove to his camper, which was a short distance away.

When he arrived at the camper he said he saw Wean and Terkan “running” out of the camper. He said as he walked to the camper he asked Wean, “What’s going on?”

He said Terkan continued to run around the camper and he lost sight of him while Wean was standing near the golf cart.

He also claimed as he walked by Wean he smelled the odor of marijuana. He said he could recognize the odor from his training as an EMS and paramedic.

He said he went inside the camper and claimed his wife appeared highly intoxicated, which she was not when she left to go to the camper. He said as he entered the camper his wife fell and he helped picked her up.

When asked by Collins if he struck his wife, at any time, Watkins said, “Absolutely not. I would never strike a female.”

Feeling threatened

Wean had testified that he observed Watkins slap his wife at least three times in the face after he entered the camper.

He said he then came out of the camper and told Wean to leave. He said he still couldn’t see Terkan. He said Wean began to move toward him.

Watkins said that was when he became threatened and feared that Wean might have a weapon. He said it was dark and he could not see if Wean had anything.

He said he then pulled out his 40-caliber handgun and pointed at Wean and again told him to leave. He said Wean continued to move toward him. He said Wean then stopped moving toward him, got into the golf cart and backed out to the road.

Watkins said at that point he lowered his weapon. Watkins said he has a permit to carry a concealed weapon and that the safety was on when he pointed the gun.

Watkins denied ever putting the barrel of the gun to Wean’s left cheek, stating the closest Wean got to him was about 10 feet.

Earlier testimony said the gun was retrieved by police and there was a shell found in the chamber but the shell clip was missing.

Watkins also claimed that he worked with Wean at the resort for about two months (Wean had claimed it was three weeks), and that Wean had shown him a weapon he owned. Wean testified he never owned a weapon.

He also claimed he observed Wean making a marijuana sale at the resort.

Under cross-examination by Hatton, Watkins admitted he never saw that Wean had any weapon.

Watkins also said after Wean left in the golf cart he called 911, admitting he never looked to see where his wife was.

Prior testimony had Lisa Watkins leaving the camper and going with Wean and Terkan to the resort office where state police were called.

Collins also called three character witnesses before concluding his case.

Hatton is expected to call at least three rebuttal witnesses this morning before concluding the testimony in the case. The case was expected to go to the jury this afternoon.