Trial moving forward in attempted homicide case

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Justin Strawser, The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
·3 min read
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Apr. 14—SUNBURY — The victim of a shooting at the Interstate 180 ramp at Route 54 in Delaware Township in August testified on Tuesday that the bullet that struck him is still lodged in his pelvis.

During a hearing in front of Northumberland County Judge Paige Rosini, victim Steven Burns testified that Zachary Taylor Johns, 31, of Muncy, shot him in the abdomen three inches below the heart following a drunken verbal argument on Aug. 16. After 45 minutes of testimony from Burns and two state troopers, Rosini determined that all charges will remain and move forward in county court toward a trial.

The bullet bounced around inside Burns, lodging itself in the right side of his pelvic region and is still there after multiple surgeries to repair his internal injuries. Burns said he shattered his wrist and received nerve damage when he fell to the ground, both of which require extensive treatment.

"I will have ongoing issues for the rest of my life," testified Burns, 57, of Lewisburg.

Burns testified that he and a friend asked Johns, a co-worker, to go out for drinks. Johns got "very, very drunk" and Burns offered to drive Johns home while the other friend followed, according to testimony.

While on the way to Johns's home, Burns and the other driver got separated. Burns asked for the address to send to the friend, but Johns refused to cooperate and they got into a verbal argument. Johns allegedly told Burns he had a gun in the car and commanded Burns to pull over, Burns testified.

Burns testified that Johns pulled the gun on him and ordered him out of the car. Once out of the car, Burns testified that Johns "squared up, aimed at me and pulled the trigger."

"I wasn't attacking him in any way," Burns said. "I didn't understand how it got to that point."

Two witnesses told police they were traveling home and got off at the exit at around 1 a.m. when a man ran up to their vehicle and asked them to call 911 because a man was shot, according to court documents.

Trooper Troy Hansen of the State Police Barracks in Milton testified that Johns claimed Burns was "acting strange and getting aggressive." He said Johns told him he ordered Burns out of the vehicle at gunpoint, fired a warning shot and then shot him when he came toward him. No evidence of a warning shot was found, the trooper said.

Johns was "clearly under the influence" of alcohol," Hansen testified.

Trooper Jessica Naschke of the State Police Barracks in Milton said Johns became "very agitated very quickly" when questioned.

Naschke also testified that she interviewed Burns after surgery in the hospital while he was highly sedated.

Johns is facing attempted criminal homicide, a felony count of aggravated assault, and four misdemeanor counts of simple assault, terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person and disorderly conduct. Johns has been free since Aug. 26 after posting 10 percent of the $150,000 cash bail through private surety Denise M. Johns, of Montoursville, according to court documents.

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