Bail revocation hearing for Ondra delayed another week
A judge’s decision on whether a South Strabane Township man accused of child luring will go back to prison will wait another week.
Jan Ondra, 66, is charged with attempting to lure a 10-year-old into his van in Clarksville in June. He is accused of violating the terms of his $25,000 bond by approaching three children at North Strabane Town Center Sept. 28 and offering them candy.
Judge Gary Gilman extended the same courtesy to the district attorney’s office that he gave to the defense last week, and delayed the hearing an additional week to allow prosecutors to potentially gather new evidence.
Assistant District Attorney John Paul Lewis said there may be an eye witness to the alleged incident, and that additional surveillance footage from the businesses in the plaza may exist.
Gilman said this would be the last continuance granted in the bond revocation hearing, and scheduled it to continue at 10 a.m. Nov. 1.
On Friday, Gilman heard from David Erb, owner of West Penn Billiards and Fine Furniture. The defense hoped to show surveillance footage from the business, but it had been overwritten. Erb said he had no knowledge of the video being deleted.
The three children testified last week they were walking from Synergy Performing Arts Academy, where they are students, to Bethel Bakery during the break.
Amy Roberts, whose daughter attends the dance school with the other children, testified Friday she saw the kids outside at the time they said the incident occurred.
Roberts said she saw a man there, as well, and that one of the children mouthed, “That was creepy.” She also testified she asked the children if they were OK before they walked into the bakery, and received a thumbs up.