Prisoner is accused of assaulting inmate
A 20-year-old Washington man awaiting trial in the January 2013 murder of a man in the city’s West End is now accused of assaulting a fellow inmate at Washington County jail last October.
Brandon Lee Wolowski of 616 ½ Fayette St. was arraigned via video from jail before District Judge Robert Redlinger on charges of aggravated assault and assault by a prisoner.
Washington police indicate in court documents Wolowski reportedly injured 31-year-old Nicholas Lesjak in an unprovoked Oct. 13 attack. Wolowski is seen on surveillance coming up from behind Lesjak and hitting him in the head with an unknown object. Lesjak, who was in jail on a parole revocation and bench warrants since Sept. 17, was taken to Washington Hospital for treatment of lacerations on his right ear, scalp and hands. Lesjak, of Canonsburg, required stitches and staples to close the wounds. Jail records indicate Lesjak was released Thursday morning.
Wolowski was held without bond since Jan. 9, 2013, when he was arrested on charges of homicide, attempted homicide, aggravated assault and robbery. He is accused of shooting and killing 37-year-old Matthew Matthias and injuring Matthias’ girlfriend, Michelle Powell. The shooting reportedly happened when Wolowski tried to rob Matthias of guns at his home at 905 Fayette St. Jan. 8, 2013.
Matthias was apparently shot in the back as he ran from the house and died of a gunshot wound to the chest. Powell was treated at a Pittsburgh hospital for gunshot wounds to the cheek, chin, chest and arm. Powell was able to identify the shooter as “Brandon” to police just after the incident although she did not know Wolowski’s last name.
Wolowski, when interviewed by police after he was apprehended not long after the shooting, told detectives that he intended to rob them of the guns and also thought he may have to shoot both of them.
Redlinger set bond on the new charges at $100,000. A preliminary hearing on the assault charges is set for Jan. 28 before Redlinger.
Wolowski is scheduled for a pretrial conference on the homicide charges Tuesday before Judge John DiSalle.