By Kathie O. Warco

Staff writer

kwarco@observer-reporter.com

The scar on the right side of his face goes from near the top of his ear to under his chin, a reminder of the morning that Gabriel Bonilla almost bled to death in the parking lot of a South Strabane Township motel.

The man accused of slashing the throat of the Virginia man was ordered held for court Thursday on charges including attempted homicide.

Trey Deshaun Willis, 22, of 44 Highland Ave., Washington, is accused of attacking Bonilla June 14 in the parking lot of Motel 6 off North Avenue. The 42-year-old Honduran immigrant also was punched in the face by a reported co-defendant, Richard Louis Pruden. Pruden, 23, of 234 Locust Ave., Washington, remains at large.

Bonilla, speaking through an interpreter, testified at the preliminary hearing before District Judge Jay Weller that he was doing carpentry work for a construction project near the Meadows Racetrack and Casino. He had been staying at the motel with co-workers for about four weeks.

Willis was at the motel when he arrived home from work.

"He and the big guy (Pruden) were charging $40 to have sex with girls," Bonilla said.

Bonilla had sex with one of the women. At one point in the evening, Pruden asked him if he wanted to fight.

"Then he just hit me, he punched me in the nose," Bonilla said.

The victim said he tried to get away from them by going into his room, but they pulled him back out.

"The big guy was behind me, and Willis was in front of me," Bonilla said. "I tried to throw myself on the ground to get away; that's when he cut me. I saw the knife in his (Willis') hand before he cut me."

Bonilla tried to get his cell phone out to call 911 for help. He said Pruden jumped on him and grabbed the phone, breaking it in half.

Bonilla told First Assistant District Attorney Craig McKay that he suffers paralysis in his face and has problems seeing and hearing.

"I almost bled to death," Bonilla said. "The doctors told me I had 10 minutes of life left."

When asked by defense attorney Noah Geary what started the problem, Bonilla said "the big guy called me a faggot. I don't know why he wanted to fight with me."

Township police Detective Ken Torboli testified that when he arrived at Motel 6, Bonilla had already been taken to the hospital. Large amounts of blood were on the sidewalk, parking lot and vehicles in the lot.

Township police Detective John Bruner said they found Willis' knife at 44 Highland. A knife reportedly carried by Pruden was found in weeds off Mill Street in Washington. The two men had purchased the knives at Wal-Mart, Trinity Point, the week before the slashing.

Willis, who has a criminal record, was acquitted in the 2005 homicide of Susan Van Syckle in Washington.

Willis also is charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, robbery and criminal conspiracy. Weller denied Geary's motion to dismiss the robbery charge.

Geary asked Weller to reduce his client's $500,000 bond. Weller refused, and Willis was returned to Washington County Jail.

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