Shooting Of Yardley Police Chief Last Year Leads To No Contest Plea

UPDATED

YARDLEY, PA —The borough man who is charged with shooting Police Chief Joseph Kelly III last August pleaded 'no contest' in court Thursday.

Colin Frank Petroziello,25, of Yardley appeared before President Judge Wallace H. Bateman Jr. and entered a no contest plea in the shooting of Kelly last Aug. 18.

Sentencing was deferred for 90 days. Because one of the victims was a Bucks County Adult Probation and Parole Officer, a pre-sentence investigation will be conducted by Lehigh County authorities, the Bucks County District Attorney's Office said.

A four-hour standoff began when Kelly was shot through Petroziello's apartment door at Yardley Commons while attempting to conduct a well-being check.

The chief suffered injuries to his left hand and left ear and was treated at St. Mary Medical Center.

“I am encouraged by today’s outcome. We are moving closer to justice. I would like to thank the Bucks County District Attorney's Office and detectives for their outstanding work and cooperation,” Kelly said in a statement to Patch Thursday afternoon.

Petroziello was charged with attempted homicide of a law enforcement officer, two counts of attempted murder, six counts of aggravated assault, and one count each of assault of a law enforcement officer, persons not to possess a firearm, false imprisonment, recklessly endangering another person, and possession of an instrument of crime.

Bucks County Adult Probation/Parole Officer Cristina Viviano had been out on an offender check at Petroziello's apartment that morning after his mother called for assistance, testimony revealed. At that preliminary hearing last August, the judge learned that Petroziello was agitated, intoxicated, and armed prior to police arrival.

When Viviano heard slamming doors and arguing from inside the unit, she called police for assistance, according to testimony at that hearing.

Kelly arrived, knocked on the front door, and identified himself as police. He testified that he was able to peer into a windowpane on the door and could see a man, later identified as Petroziello, inside and aiming a gun at the door.