Apr 2, 2013 2 min read

A Washington County jury of six men and six women will have to decide if a 17-year-old girl was the victim of a willful attack or an unfortunate accident when her fingertip was bitten off last summer during an altercation at First Niagara Pavilion, Hanover Township.

On trial Tuesday was Zachary Nicholas Leone, 22, of Aliquippa, Beaver County, who is charged with recklessly endangering another person, simple assault and aggravated assault.

In his opening statement, Assistant District Attorney Darren Newberry said the victim, now a senior at Hopewell High School, was trying to break up a fight between Leone, whom he identified as her ex-boyfriend, and her date, Nolan Harmotto, at a country and western concert on June 2.

Harmotto, a resident of Hopewell Township, Beaver County, testified he was on his way to the restroom with the victim and her friend halfway through the program featuring the group Lady Antebellum when “out of the corner of my eye I saw Zack rushing toward me and he threw a punch. There were no words exchanged or anything.”

Leone’s attorney, Stephen Colafella, told the jury, “Zack feels people jumping on his back. One of them is the victim. In the course of that, her finger is bitten. The whole episode probably lasts less than 15 seconds.” Hanover Township police were not contacted until June 4.

The incident severed the victim’s fingertip from the ring finger of her right hand.

Testimony is scheduled to resume Tuesday afternoon before Judge Katherine B. Emery.