The Herald, Sharon, PA Published Friday, April 18, 2003

Man found guilty of
assaulting 2

By Amanda Smith-Teutsch
Herald Staff Writer

After 2è hours of deliberation Thursday, a jury found Michael Leon "Rockhead" Crawford, 21, of 302 Florence St., Sharon, guilty of assaulting two women Sept. 25, but acquitted him of charges connected to the alleged sexual assault of one of the women.

Crawford was convicted of aggravated assault, a felony, and misdemeanor charges of simple assault and reckless endangerment. He was found not guilty of burglary, involuntary deviate sexual assault and criminal trespass in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a woman from Federal Street in Farrell.

According to police reports and court testimony, Crawford hit Patricia Anderson in the face with an aluminum flashlight as she was walking down Hamilton Avenue in Farrell with a friend. She was 35 at the time.

Crawford went back into an alley while the pair ran to call police, according to testimony Thursday.

Before police caught up with Crawford, he allegedly broke into the home of an ex-girlfriend, assaulted her, took her to her bedroom, removed her clothes and attempted to perform oral sex on her, according to the woman's testimony in court.

The woman told police she eventually escaped wearing only a T-shirt, running four blocks down Federal to a friend's house.

The case was heard before Mercer County Common Pleas Judge Thomas R. Dobson.

After deliberating for about two hours, the jury returned to ask for the definitions of "criminal trespass" and "involuntary deviate sexual intercourse."

Crawford will be sentenced June 5. After the jury handed down its verdict, he was returned to Mercer County Jail, where he was being held on $20,000 bond.



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