Peters man pleads to involuntary manslaughter for role in deadly fight outside Baldwin bar

A Peters man involved in a deadly fight at Baldwin’s Loose Moose Saloon more than two years ago pleaded guilty Wednesday to involuntary manslaughter.

Zachary Blake, 24, is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 20 for his role in the death of Mark Thompson, 51, of South Park.

Involuntary manslaughter is a first-degree misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of 2½ to 5 years in prison. Sentencing guidelines call for a sentence ranging from probation to a year in jail. Blake, who has no criminal record, has been on electronic monitoring for about two years.

Deputy District Attorney Brian Catanzarite said Wednesday in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court that Blake’s brother and Thompson’s friend got into a fight in the parking lot of the Brownsville Road bar around 11 p.m. July 18, 2021.

Blake and Thompson got involved a short time later. Catanzarite said Blake punched Thompson to the ground and then got on top of him and continued to punch him. He also kicked Thompson in the face and spat on him, Catanzarite said.

Blake told police he was defending his brother, Catanzarite said.

Thompson was taken first to Jefferson Hospital and then to Allegheny General Hospital, where he died on July 22, 2021.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office initially said Thompson died from head injuries suffered in the fight, but Catanzarite said there were no skull fractures or subdural bleeding.

Defense attorney Casey White said he hired a forensic pathologist who determined that either before or during the fight, Thompson went into cardiac arrest.

“There are no findings of blunt force trauma that would cause the victim’s death,” White said, adding that the ME’s office did not dispute his expert’s finding.

Involuntary manslaughter requires recklessness or gross negligence, but not intent, White said.

“He’s extremely remorseful and did not intend on the result that unfortunately occurred,” White said.