The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

December 30, 2009

UPDATE: Man pointed gun in hunting feud, cops say

By Matt Snyder

FINDLEY TOWNSHIP — On Tuesday a long-running family feud over 100 acres of land left Brian Finley looking down the barrel of a .38-caliber pistol, and he figured he had two options.

He could run, and maybe get shot in the back.

Or, he could rush Donald Leroy Nelson and maybe take him down.

Finley took the second option and state police say he and two other men disarmed Nelson, 56, of 1878 Mercer-Grove City Road, Findley Township, who now faces charges of aggravated and simple assault, reckless endangering, and terroristic threats.

Police say the incident began with Nelson arguing with Joseph Romanko and Shane Hines, who were hunting at about 3:30 p.m. on land off Scrubgrass Road that Finley said is owned by his grandmother and Nelson — a second cousin — but was never sub-divided.

“Nobody knows whose fifty acres is this and whose fifty acres is that,” Finley said. He said Nelson doesn’t like anyone else using the land.

Finley, who said the men had permission to hunt on the land, was called in and Nelson drew a pistol from his waistband, pointed it at the three men and told them, “you’re gonna die,” according to police.

That’s when Finley said he moved in on Nelson, who was six to 10 feet away. He said he knocked Nelson’s pistol out of the firing position. Nelson pistol-whipped him as they struggled, leaving some cuts and goose eggs on top of Finley’s head.

“I got cracked on top of the head but nothing I won’t bounce right back from; I didn’t miss any work,” Finley said.

He took Nelson to the ground and got the gun off him, Finley said. He and his buddies unloaded it until state police arrived.

“It was potentially a horrible situation, and it turned out in what I feel was the best way possible,” Finley said. “No one got paid any serious injuries.”

Nelson was arraigned on the charges before District Judge Lorinda L. Hinch, Mercer, and released on bail.

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