Former WCCC student not guilty of screwdriver assault of instructor

It took a Westmoreland County jury just 20 minutes on Tuesday to find a former Westmoreland County Community College student not guilty of assaulting his instructor.

Jurors acquitted David Ross, 26, of Unity, of a felony charge of aggravated assault and a simple assault offense.

Prosecutors claimed Ross used a special screwdriver for punching holes in sheet metal to stab his instructor two times in the neck during a class session on Nov. 9, 2021.

“Thank God I have people looking out for me and I’m now staying out of trouble,” said Ross as he left the courtroom following the conclusion of the two-day trial in Greensburg.

Evan Dickson, a former WCCC student, became a full-time instructor at the school’s Advanced Technology Center in East Huntingdon in 2019, teaching HVAC, plumbing and other skills. He testified he had no prior bad history with Ross and no indication he was about to be attacked as he leaned over to correct his student’s use of a tool.

“He continued working on another piece of duct work that didn’t fit and pulled it apart. I saw him move in front of me and I felt a hard impact. He had a screwdriver in hand, I touched my neck and realized there was blood on my hands,” Dickson told jurors. “He looked like he was going to jump over the table.”

Dickson testified there was no explanation for the attack and that he was treated at a local hospital for two wounds. WCCC instituted a brief lockdown at the technology center after the incident.

Security video of the lab, shown to jurors, depicted Ross working at a sheet metal station just prior alleged assault but because Dickson was obscured behind equipment, any physical contact between the men could not be seen, according to prosecutors.

Ross did not testify at the trial.

Defense attorney Ken Noga described Dickson’s injuries as superficial and in his closing argument to the jury, said prosecutors could not prove that Ross intentionally struck his teacher.

“Something happened in the lab that day, but what happened was not a crime. I suggest Mr. Ross accidentally struck Mr. Dickson in the neck area,” Noga said. “This is a lab, there are tools everywhere. This is an accident at best and at worst we have no idea what happened.”

Assistant District Attorney Jackie Knupp argued that evidence proved Ross made a sudden motion to stab his teacher.

“We don’t know why the defendant did what he did, but that’s not necessary. You don’t need a motive to find somebody guilty of crimes charged,” Knupp said.

Ross is scheduled to appear before another judge in April for a pretrial hearing on unrelated misdemeanor counts of possession instruments of crime while incarcerated at the Westmoreland County Prison. Police contend a toothbrush sharpened to be used as a shank was found in Ross’ cell.