Jan 10, 2018 2 min read

UNIONTOWN – A Washington County man remains in custody on charges he shot and killed a man outside of a Uniontown bar and restaurant in November.

District Judge Michael Metros ordered the suspect, Nathan Yasek, 35, of Somerset Township, to stand trial during a preliminary hearing Tuesday in the slaying of Timothy Carl Durst, 54, of Uniontown, online court records show.

Yasek claimed he shot Durst twice in self-defense in a parking lot at 84 W. Main St. after Durst assaulted him about 10 p.m. Nov. 24, shortly after he and his girlfriend left the nearby Rizz’s, court records indicate.

Uniontown police arrived at the shooting scene and officers attempted to perform live-saving measures on Durst, who was shot in the chest and upper back, according to the affidavit supporting the criminal charges in the case.

Police said officers found Yasek standing inside the bar, where he admitted he shot someone and was disarmed without any resistance by Fayette County Sheriff James Custer.

In statements to investigators, Yasek claimed he was struck from behind by Durst while he was getting into his vehicle. He said he was struck again by Durst when he turned around to face him, the record indicates.

He further stated he pulled his .45-caliber handgun from his waistband to create a distance between him and Durst.

Durst allegedly struck Yasek again in the chest after using a expletive about the gun, police noted in the affidavit. Yasek said he didn’t know his attacker and shot him in fear the man was going to steal his truck with his girlfriend sitting in the passenger side, the record shows.

Yasek, of 641 Vanceville Road, Eighty Four, has been in Fayette County jail without bond since Nov. 25 on charges of criminal homicide, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment.

His attorney, Jack William Conner of Uniontown, could not be reached Wednesday for comment.

Durst was a mechanic at Nemacolin Country Club in Centerville at the time of his death, according to his obituary.