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2/10/2007 6:06 AM

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Terri T. Johnson, Staff writer

This article has been read 831 times.

CANONSBURG - A North Strabane Township man will stand trial on attempted homicide, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment charges following a preliminary hearing Tuesday before District Judge Jay Weller.

Robert Albert Carola, 51, of 307 McGregor Drive, was charged after a Jan. 27 shooting in which Michael Suehr, 48, of Ingram, was seriously wounded.

Suehr remains in a Pittsburgh hospital, sedated and on a respirator. He did not attend the hearing and has not been interviewed by police.

North Strabane Township Detective Robert Graham testified that Carola asked about Suehr after the shooting and said, "I hope he dies."

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The shooting in the 200 block of McClelland Road shortly after 10 p.m. followed an evening of drinking five bottles of wine, smoking cigars and eating dinner in the apartment Suehr shared with his former brother-in-law, James Allgeier, at 178 W. Prospect St., Ingram. Allgeier testified Tuesday that Valium pills were on a table, but that he did not see Carola take any.

According to Allgeier, Carola and Suehr have been friends for several years. Allgeier testified he knew Carola, but was not a close friend.

Allgeier said when Carola stood up before leaving the apartment, he stumbled and fell into a trash can. The decision was made for Suehr to drive Carola home in Carola's vehicle, with Allgeier following in another vehicle.

According to testimony, Allgeier stopped for gasoline and lost track of Carola's vehicle. On the drive to North Strabane, Allgeier said, he called Suehr on his cellular telephone and learned from Suehr that Carola had "flipped out" and pulled a gun.

Allgeier met Suehr at the Canonsburg exit ramp of Interstate 79 and followed Carola's vehicle onto McClelland Road. At the top of the hill, Allgeier said he saw Carola's vehicle stop, heard two shots and watched as Carola pulled Suehr out of the vehicle and threw him to the ground.

Allgeier testified he heard Suehr shout to him to shoot Carola, then watched as Carola pointed a gun at Suehr's head and fired a shot.

That's when Allgeier said he fled in his vehicle, hearing two more shots, then a third shot. Believing Carola may have committed suicide, Allgeier said he returned, but left again, remaining away until police arrived.

North Strabane Township police Officer Matthew Mancini testified that three women at the scene when he arrived said Carola had walked away. Mancini then saw Carola walking toward him.

Carola, whose clothes were covered in blood, was cooperative during the arrest, Mancini said. Police found a .35-caliber handgun on Carola and retrieved a similar weapon from Suehr's pocket.

The driver of another vehicle on McClelland Road, who did not testify, notified police she heard two shots and found a bullet in the bumper of her sport utility vehicle.

Before the hearing began, one count of aggravated assault was dropped by Assistant District Attorney Josh Carroll.

Carola's attorney, David DiCarlo, offered no testimony. Carola did not testify.

Graham testified Suehr was shot four times, once in each cheek with one of the bullets passing through his tongue. He was shot once in the neck and once in the right shoulder.

Graham also testified that Carola indicated the night of the incident that he was carjacked by two unknown men who forced him to drive to his home.

Carola remains free on $50,000 bond.

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