A Tamaqua man was found not guilty by a jury after a one day trial Monday in Schuylkill County court of criminal charges arising out of smashing the windshield on a truck despite testimony by the owner that from his bedroom window he observed the defendant tossing a brick at the car.

His trial was one of several currently going on in the county court. Other defendants who were scheduled for trial changed their minds and entered guilty pleas.Jason Harold Hill, 22, of 33 N. Railroad St., denied he was the culprit who smashed the windshield on the pickup truck owned by John Sinkiewicz, which was parked near his home at 125 Bowe St., Tamaqua. Hill said he was with friends at Freddy's Pub, located a distance from the victim's home, from 8 p.m. to closing time, 2 a.m. on March 23. Sinkiewicz testified the incident occurred between 1:30 and 2 a.m.Three alibi witnesses collaborated Hill's story. Amanda Dezol, Weatherly; Jeffrey Yesalavage, Coaldale, and Jesse Linkcovage, Tamaqua.Dezol testified in the evening of March 22, they were celebrating an early birthday, which was the following month and she claimed they were in the tavern all evening and left when it closed, She added that she stayed at Hill's home that night.Linkcovage testified he has been a friend since school days and did odd jobs at the tavern. He also said Hill was there until the tavern closed. Linkcovage also said Hill was at the tavern all night and never left it at any time.John Sinkiewicz was very emphatic in what he saw that early morning. He testified he and his wife had just retired when he heard a loud bang and got up and looked out the front window from the second story. He first saw a shadowy movement near his neighbor's home and then saw a person hop a fence and approach his truck and sedan parked outside.He testified he saw the person take a position of a shot put or javelin thrower and saw him toss a brick and saw the window on his truck smashed. He then saw the person walk by a street light by his home and he identified the person as Hill. He dressed and went out the door and gave chase but Hill got away, he claimed.Sinkiewicz said his wife called police and he came back to his home and awaited for their arrival and later spoke to Patrolman John Karl Harig, who followed up with investigation and brought the charges of criminal mischief and loitering and prowling at night of which the jury found Hill not guilty.Also testifying was Sinkiewicz's daughter, Alexandria, who testified she was a girlfriend of Melanie Krop, who had just broken relations with Hill. Alexandria testified she received about 20 calls on her cell phone the previous day because Melanie would not accept his calls.She testified finally she answered the phone and Hill asked her if he could speak to Melanie and she told him no and hung up. But before she hung up he made threatening remarks. After the damages to her father's vehicle she spoke to him and told him about Hill's calls.Public Defender Christopher M. Riedlinger, in his closing remarks to the jury, claimed Sinkiewicz named Hill as the purportrator only after he talked to his daughter.An alert clerkWhen a jury reaches a verdict and returns to court it hands its verdict slip to a clerk who then hands it to a judge who reads it before returning it to the clerk to read the verdict.Heather Steppler, of Tamaqua, a clerk in the Clerk of Court Office, handed the verdict to the judge. When the judge returned it to her she noticed an error on the verdict slip and called it to the attention of the trial judge.Judge Jacqueline Russell then ordered the courtroom cleared and spoke to the jury. They had failed to record a verdict on one of the charges. The matter was resolved and the verdict was read.AcquittedJames Paul Lake, 40, of 88 Washington St., Middleport, was scheduled to be tried before a jury on two counts of simple assault arising from a domestic dispute with Tonya Lee Kerns but the case never reached jury as Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin acquitted Lake on a technicality.Pleads guiltyRaul Ramos-Bonilla, 39, Pottsville, pleaded guilty to pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting Pottsville policemen and was given credit by Judge John E. Domalakes for spending 203 days in the county prison and placed him on parole for 12 months. However, Berks County has charged the defendant for parole violation and he is being transported to that county to face the charges.Sherry L. Harwick, 40, Minersville, pleaded guilty to passing four bad checks at Christmas Pine Camp Ground, Red Church Road, North Manheim Township, and was placed on probation by Judge Charles M. Miller for 18 months, and ordered to pay $50 in fines, a $50 fee to Criminal Justice Enhancement Account, and a $50 monthly supervision fee.Drug dealer guiltyShane Douglas Hibbler, 21, of Pottsville, was found guilty by a jury of charges of possession with intent to deliver marijuana and cocaine from his apartment in the 200 block on West Market Street. Domalakes deferred sentence to a later date and ordered a pre-sentence investigative report prepared for the court.2 trials underwayJamneds Curtis Stevens, 21, of Shenandoah, went on trial before a jury in the courtroom of President Judge William E. Baldwin on 28 criminal charges including six counts of aggravated assault, two counts of discharging a firearm in an occupied building, one count of possession of a firearm without a license, six counts each of simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.Stevens was charged by Shenandoah Patrolman Michael O'Neill, last May 27 for firing three shots in the home at 313 S. West St., and endangering the occupants.Stephen Smith, 41, Auburn, went on trial this morning before a jury in the courtroom of Judge Charles M. Miller on four counts each of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, and one count each of possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.