Texas man charged after shooting in Towanda

BY JAMES LOEWENSTEIN (Staff Writer)
Published: March 21, 2010

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A Fort Worth, Texas man faces felony charges after he discharged a handgun that struck a woman in the forearm during an incident Saturday in Towanda, police said.

Samuel J. Kirchner III, 27, of 6705 Greenlee St., Fort Worth, Texas, has been charged with the third-degree felony of firearms not to be carried without a license, the third-degree felony of flight to avoid apprehension, and the second-degree misdemeanor of recklessly endangering another person, Towanda police said.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred in the area of Capt. Jack's bar on Main Street in Towanda at 12:42 a.m. on Saturday, police said.

The incident began when 23-year-old Michael A. Pierce of Towanda RR 1 was inside the bar and having an argument with a woman, police said.

The woman left the bar and Pierce followed her out of the bar, police said.

Kirchner told police that he was concerned for the woman's safety and therefore he left the bar, too, police said.

After Pierce, the woman, and Kirchner arrived at the parking lot of Keystone College's Towanda Center, which is located just north of the bar, Pierce allegedly assaulted Kirchner, police said.

According to Kirchner, Pierce attacked him and punched and kicked him, police said.

Based on interviews with witnesses and those involved in the incident, Pierce knocked Kirchner to the ground, got on top of him, and continuously punched and kicked him in the face and body, police said.

Kirchner then brandished a handgun and fired a round, which struck the woman in her right forearm, police said.

Police declined to identify the woman, who was treated for her injury initially at Memorial Hospital in Towanda, police said.

"I believe she was transferred to Robert Packer Hospital" in Sayre, Towanda Police Chief Mitch Osman said.

Kirchner was treated and released at a local hospital for the minor injuries he received when he was assaulted by Pierce, police said.

Pierce was charged with the first-degree felony of aggravated assault and the second-degree misdemeanor of simple assault, police said.

Kirchner was charged with flight to avoid apprehension because he allegedly ripped the license plate off his vehicle and was attempting to leave the scene, police said.

However, he was still in his vehicle when police arrived at the scene, police said.

Pierce was arraigned before Troy Magisterial District Judge Jonathan Wilcox. Pierce was sent to the Bradford County jail in lieu of $75,000 bail, police said.

Kirchner was arraigned before Judge Wilcox. Kirchner was then sent to the Bradford County jail in lieu of $150,000 bail, police said.

Towanda police said they are continuing to investigate the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call the Towanda Borough Police Department at (570) 265-2522.

James Loewenstein can be reached at (570) 265-1633; or e-mail: jloewenstein@thedailyreview.com.

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25 posted comments

Backus... let me get this straight. Because you're offended by the opinions on a public comment section of a newspaper, you wish to pull the "you're so sued" card? Simply amazing. Seems like the only ignorant one here is YOU.
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Paul,  03/22/10 3:15
Backus, Since when is ignorance illegal? And how do you propose to sue someone for ignorance, or were you going to sue for allowing ignorance to be anonymously posted?
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Bodarch,  03/22/10 3:10
Backus, If you don't like it, don't read it. What is the difference between people talking in a coffee shop or on here? People are expressing their opinions and have every right to do so.
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Shell,  03/22/10 2:08
The ignorance of the comments on this post demonstrates why this anonymous forum should be taken down. Will it take a lawsuit to do it?
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Backus,  03/22/10 9:47
Anyone other than an officer of the law in performance of his duties, who carries a gun into a bar, whether you have a permit to do so or not, should go immediately to jail for terminal stupidity.
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do not pass go,  03/22/10 7:49
I can't believe people are talking about love in the air and him protecting his new love, he might have a wife and kids somewhere reading this. Have some respect.
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respectfully yours,  03/21/10 6:09
New Love? What in the world people, how can you assume this is a new love? Some man at a bar tries to help a poor woman and then ya'll just start making this us.
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concerned,  03/21/10 6:08
Posters are commenting on the woman -- what did she do??? Why should she be charged?
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#_#,  03/21/10 4:09
How come ya'll are blaming this on my man from Texas? He was just looking out for this unnamed girl. Down here in Texas we shoot first and ask questions later. He was just trying to protect himself and his new love.
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From texas,  03/21/10 3:56
I'm pretty sure there were bar fights and shootings before the "gas guys" came to town. My husband is "gas guy" somewhere other than Towanda and they have no problems with locals. Maybe it's the uneducated locals that are causing the problems. Towanda's problems didn't come from anywhere else. It already has everything it needs.
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Get over it,  03/21/10 3:29
"Citizen of BC and annoyed" The Daily Review's title was appropriate and follows the same principles and format as all other police reports. (EX. Towanda man, Wysox woman, Rome teen charged, etc.) Following those same principles I feel the Daily Review's title should have been a little more clear and should have read "Fort Worth Texas man charged"
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BC resident,  03/21/10 3:29
everyone is talking about these three people, but it started in the bar. so the bar is responsable , they sold the alcohol the put these three people in this mode, and did not do anything to stop the problem. the bar is resonable.
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tax payer,  03/21/10 3:06
@ annoyed: You wrote: "fight between two drunks over a women, a case of alcohol, hormones and stupidity" ... now, don't forget lead -- oh, wait, only one was packing a gun.
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#_#,  03/21/10 3:02
I would like to know where in the article is says the Texan is a gas worker?? I must have missed that part. Gas worker or not there are 3 people guilty here of public misconduct!! I know the woman is scott free what's up with that? I hate that you are going to judge all "gas workers" or Texans based on one man. I guess that's what anyone from somewhere else should do to all you locals huh? JUDGE JUDGE JUDGE!! That is going to get everyone places right? Make sure you speculte a little more. If you were there by all means share your view but no one knows the cirumstances on any side of this argument. I guess the next thing you will tell me is I have no business ther but news flash people even though I fortunatly don't live there we unfortunatly are tax payers for your oh so lovely area.
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Mrs. GD,  03/21/10 2:53
I agree with "Citizen of BC". I feel it was inappropriate of the Review to use the title it did. In my opinion, the Review is just trying to make money for themselves and they know they can capatilize on the ignorance that exists in Bradford Co. This was fight between two drunks over a women, a case of alcohol, hormones and stupidity. We've got plenty of that all by ourselves here in Bradford Co., this has very little to do the "outsiders" from TX. Thanks Review for feeding the ignorance of Bradford Co. in the name of selling papers.
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annoyed,  03/21/10 2:06
@ Report Citizen of BC: I re-read this like 12 times -- only one man was charged with a shooting. Why would it be Two charged after shooting??? Only ONE man was charged with a shooting. It's like rock, paper, scissors: Paper beats rock; rock breaks scissors; but, gun outpowers fists. Sorry.
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#_#,  03/21/10 12:39
There is no doubt that both of the locals involved were behaving badly, but the texan shouldnt have tried to play hero. He should have called the police at the first sign of trouble instead of going for his gun and getting himself involved for a second round. Not to mention, he apparently doesn't know how to properly shoot a gun. I carry, and I'm all for 2nd amendment rights, but I also understand that guns aren't the only solution to every conflict. Apparently texas doesn't feel the same way. Regardless of who was right and who was wrong, the fact remains that this never would have happened if not for the gas industry bringing us MORE problems than we already had. But I guess it's ok, as long as the people profiting from the industry aren't the ones being shot. Yeah, yeah... stop picking on the poor gas guys. I know, I know.
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Paul,  03/21/10 12:37
Is the Daily Review trying to fuel resentment towards the gas companies? Had this been an incident with two men from Towanda the headline would have read "Two charged after shooting in Towanda." However, because it was a gas worker it was felt that should be drawn to.

People around here are so up in arms about making the gas companies out to be criminals that they are forgetting how many criminals Bradford County already had. The jail was over crowded way before the gas companies ever started coming here and that's even without all the criminals behind bars.

If you think anywhere is safe anymore you are all being naive. Ignorance breads fear. If you were educated on life outside Bradford County you might not be so narrow minded.

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Citizen of BC,  03/21/10 10:37
OH GOODY now not only are they messing up our roads they are shooting our woman :o)
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Kathy Brenner,  03/21/10 10:33
This is just a good reason to mind your own business. The two fighting I'm sure have done this in the past and now someone that was just trying to help is in trouble. Its still nice to know that someone will step into help when it is needed,but it can get you in a hole lot of trouble if you are carring a gun. Think before you act.
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Katie,  03/21/10 10:16
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