Uniontown officer placed on leave following felony assault charge
A Uniontown police officer is on paid administrative leave after he was charged with aggravated assault.
German Township police filed charges against Nicholas Zocco, 32, of Perryopolis, on Thursday in connection with a July 8 incident in which Zocco is accused of putting a man in the hospital. He was off-duty at the time.
According to the criminal complaint, Zocco punched Zachary Williams in the face twice during a party at a home in the 200 block of North Mill Street in Menallen Township. Williams, whose age and address were not listed in court documents, fell and hit his head off the ground. Police spoke to Williams at Uniontown Hospital at about 10:30 that night.
Court documents state that Williams suffered a nasal bone fracture, contusion above the left eye and a small hematoma on the right side of his head.
Uniontown police issued a statement Thursday saying that Zocco has been placed on paid administrative leave pending further investigation.
“The Uniontown City Police Department is fully supportive of the German Township Police Department and its investigation,” the statement reads.
Zocco has been with the department since 2015. He received a promotion from patrolman to corporal in March.
Uniontown Mayor Bill Gerke declined to comment.
Witnesses told police that Zocco had left the party after getting into an argument with another guest, but later returned. Williams said in a written statement that he approached Zocco and told him he was not welcome and needed to leave.
“Williams reported that he does not remember anything after that, other than going to the hospital,” the complaint states.
Zocco told investigators he acted in self defense and had already retained an attorney. However, neither the complaint nor online court records list a lawyer for Zocco.
According to the complaint, five witnesses provided police with written statements. The witnesses said that Zocco attacked Williams without provocation.
“It was no fight,” one witness reported to police.
Zocco was arraigned Thursday afternoon before Fayette County Magisterial District Judge Jennifer Jeffries, who released him on $20,000 unsecured bond.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. July 27.