A Walnutport man was sentenced to 9-23 months in prison Monday for his involvement in an attempted shooting outside a bar in 2022.

Leonid Opacic, 42, tried to shoot the ex-husband of a woman he was dating, according to state troopers with the Lehighton barracks. He pleaded guilty in February to attempted aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony.

Troopers were dispatched at 10:45 p.m. on Aug. 6, 2022, for a 911 call reporting shots being fired near the Rausch Haus Bar, located at 950 Delaware Ave., in Lower Towamensing Township.

Opacic had been armed with a 9 mm Taurus handgun. Two spent 9 mm shell casings were also located on the ground outside the business.

The Criminal Investigation Unit of the Lehighton barracks was requested to respond to the scene.

Troopers learned that Opacic and the victim had been engaged in altercations over the last few days related to Opacic dating the victim’s ex-wife.

One incident happened earlier that week at the Beer Zone in Palmerton. On the Friday night prior to the shooting, they were asked to leave the Rausch Haus Bar, police said.

All three had been removed from the bar on Aug. 6 after a scuffle when Opacic retrieved a gun from his vehicle, attempting to shoot the victim. The woman involved told police they had been at a shooting range earlier in the day, which is why Opacic had the gun.

Two shots were fired. Bystanders, including an off-duty police officer, intervened, preventing the victim from being hit by gunfire.

He told police he did not intend to shoot at the victim and that he accidentally fired the gun.

Opacic’s sentence, handed down Monday by Carbon County Common Pleas Judge Joseph Matika, also called for him to spend one year on probation following his prison term. He will also undergo a comprehensive drug and alcohol evaluation and is required to complete 100 hours of community service.

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