North Strabane Man Will Stand Trial for Attempted Homicide

Anna Hibbs testified that she saw her husband's finger on the trigger and heard him pull it while the handgun was pointed between her eyes on Christmas Eve.

Harry Orion Hibbs Jr. was held for trial on attempted homicide and assault charges during his preliminary hearing before district Tuesday morning, including new offenses.

Prosecutors added five counts of illegally carrying firearms, one count of endagering the welfare of children and one count of making terroristic threats.

Harry Hibbs had previously been convicted in federal court for felony drug convictions—making him ineligible to carry a firearm, according to testimony Tuesday.

A criminal complaint filed against the North Strabane man states he tried to kill his wife before threatening to turn a rifle on himself Christmas Eve—information Anna Hibbs reiterated during the hearing.

on Dec. 24 charged and several counts of assault following the incident, which took place in his state Route 136 home.

"(Hibbs was involved in a domestic argument with his wife. During this event, Mr. Hibbs grabbed Mrs. Hibbs by the arms while she was holding their 2-year-old daughter and pushed her down," the complaint stated. "During this act, Mrs. Hibbs (suffered) redness and bruising to both upper arms and chest area."

That's when court records said Harry Hibbs grabbed a loaded black powder revolver "and pointed it in the face of Mrs. Hibbs and pulled the trigger. Revolver jammed at which time (he) struck Mrs. Hibbs in the upper left area area with the gun, causing a deep laceration to this area."

According to court documents, Harry Hibbs then retrieved a rifle and threatened to kill himself.

Anna Hibbs later told Canon-McMillan Patch —information that was also reiterated during the hearing.

The defense called no witnesses Tuesday, but Harry Hibbs' attorney, Samuel S. Pangburn, did request that his client's bond be reduced from its current amount—$500,000.

Asked for an argument for why he should reduce the bond, there was a long silence from Pangburn.

"I couldn't think of one, either," Weller told the attorney, who called the bond requirement "excessive."

"It's an excessive crime," Weller retorted. "I'm not inclined to reduce it."