Man pays fine, avoids jail for missing jury duty 11 times
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SOMERSET (AP) – A Western Pennsylvania man has paid a $500 fine to avoid being jailed for missing jury duty 11 times in the last two years.
Somerset County Judge D. Gregory Geary told 32-year-old Owen Fazenbaker III he’d spend a week in jail if he didn’t pay the fine. Fazenbaker paid on Friday.
Fazenbaker was arrested March 23 when he showed up at the courthouse for a child custody hearing and sheriff’s deputies arrested him on a warrant for missing jury duty.
Under the law, the judge could have sentenced Fazenbaker to a $500 fine and 10 days in jail for each time he had missed jury duty.
The Stoystown man said he’ll respond to jury summonses in the future.