Shooting by Pa. Trooper Ruled Self Defense

Westmoreland County Coroner Ken Bacha said a state police trooper was justified when he fatally shot a Hempfield man on Christmas Eve.

Trooper John Isoldi acted in self-defense to protect himself and other officers when he killed Jeffrey M. Yohman, 51, outside his Swede Hill Road home, the coroner announced on Tuesday.

"The inquest proceeding reveals that the use of deadly force by Trooper Isoldi was authorized," Bacha said. "The conduct of Mr. Yohman directly placed Trooper Isoldi in imminent fear of death or serious injury to himself and other persons present at the scene at the time."

Bacha recommended that no criminal charges be brought against Isoldi.

District Attorney John Peck said none will be filed.

Yohman's family did not attend the announcement at the courthouse in Greensburg, but they were present during an inquest hearing on May 27.

"We attempted to contact the family. I got their voice mail, and they never returned the call," Bacha said.

Testimony in May revealed that Isoldi fired four shots, hitting Yohman twice, once in the chest and once near his right shoulder. Troopers testified that Isoldi fired the shoots after Trooper John Fritz was injured and threatened by Yohman.

At the inquest, hearing officer Jon Greiner heard a 20-minute recording of three 911 calls made by Yohman's wife, Pamela, and their 19-year-old daughter, Olivia, before and during the standoff with police. Pamela Yohman told dispatchers that she had asked her husband to leave the family home, but their dispute escalated after he moved her Christmas decorations.

Fritz testified that he was confronted by an angry Jeffrey Yohman and the two struggled in the home and then outside on the side porch. Fritz was catapulted over a railing.

As Fritz took cover behind a shrub, Yohman came back outside with a high-powered, .480-caliber Ruger.

"I heard Mr. Yohman yelling, 'I'm going to find you. I'm going to kill you,' " Fritz testified.

Isoldi testified that he thought Fritz was dead. Isoldi said he thought he was next.

Investigators later determined that Yohman had a blood-alcohol content of 0.146 percent. A motorist in Pennsylvania is considered to be intoxicated with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent.

Greiner said he found testimony from police and lay witnesses to be consistent.

Capt. George Kuzilla, commander of the state police Troop A barracks in Greensburg, said Isoldi has since returned to active duty.

"We think the findings (of the inquest) are consistent with our internal investigation findings. It was a split-second decision." Kuzilla said.

"This case shows how dangerous the job is for a police officer, even in Westmoreland County," Peck said. "You never know when things can turn violent and fatal."

In April 2010, Bacha ruled another fatal shooting by a state police officer was justified.

Bacha found that Trooper Ronald Salandro, a state police sharpshooter, was in the right when he shot Joseph Briggs, 22-year-old Seton Hill University student, during a stand-off on Feb. 15, 2009.