WILKES-BARRE TOWNSHIP — Police officers testified about bullets whizzing by them and a customer testified about hearing gunshots and finding a bullet hole in his car at the preliminary hearing of Scott Sargent on Thursday.
The shots were fired in a Walmart parking lot near Wilkes-Barre, where police believe Scott Sargent fired an AR-15 rifle last year. A judge ruled Thursday his case can go to trial.
Sargent is charged with attempted homicide for firing those shots.
One man was loading groceries in his car at the parking lot October 17 when he heard several shots fired. He thought it was from hunters. It wasn’t until he arrived home that he found a bullet hole in his car right next to where he placed his groceries.
Walmart employee Zach McNeil testified saying he saw Sargent fire the shots in the parking lot.
At the hearing, Sargent’s lawyer tried to dispute one of the attempted homicide charges, but the judge gave the green light for all counts to head to trial.
“The bullet-riddled vehicles and the scary things you see in the aftermath. a scary story about what happened there,” said Jarrett Ferentino, a Luzerne County prosecutor.
Prosecutors still don’t know Sargent’s motive or what may have caused him to start shooting in the first place.
“That’s not an issue at this point. We’re very fortunate we’re here under different circumstances, in which the defendant would be charged with homicide,” said Luzerne County D.A. Stefanie Salavantis.
Sargent’s formal arraignment is set for April.
