By Diane Petryk
LEWISBURG A senior corrections officer at the federal penitentiary faces multiple misdemeanor charges after allegedly bringing a taste of the Old West to East Buffalo Township.
Police said Gary L. Sheesley pulled a gun during an argument in the parking lot of a convenience store, then fumbled the firearm during a subsequent tussle.
Penitentiary officials won't say if Sheesley, of Mifflinburg, is on the job at the prison.
Scott Finley, camp administrator and public information officer at Lewisburg, said he would not comment on Sheesley's employment status or make any comment about the case until the police investigation is concluded.
On July 25, according to East Buffalo Township police detective Darryl Fisher, Sheesley smacked a passing car, offered to fight, exchanged blows with another man, drew a loaded gun and had the gun knocked out of his hand before police were called.
At about 7 that evening, according to Fisher's report, Sheesley was leaving the Town Tavern in downtown Lewisburg with friends.
While attempting to cross Market Street in mid-block, Sheesley and company were approached by an eastbound car occupied by the driver Jerry F. Zimmerman Jr., of Sunbury, and passenger Jody Klinger.
Sheesley appeared to feel the Zimmerman's car was coming on too fast and put his hand out to suggest the car should slow down, Fisher wrote in court documents.
Zimmerman allowed Sheesley and his party to cross the street, but Sheesley turned and hit Zimmerman's car as it passed, police said.
Zimmerman then circled the block, Fisher wrote, and found Sheesley getting on his 2005 Harley Davidson Road King. Zimmerman asked Sheesley if he punched his car and why, police said.
Sheesley reportedly replied by asking Zimmerman if he wanted "to take this somewhere."
Both parties then proceeded to the parking lot of a A-Plus convenience store at Route 45 and Fairground Road, where Sheesley and Zimmerman got into a shouting match that intensified into pushing and hitting, police said.
A-Plus clerk Linda Claar told police she thought Sheesley threw the first punch, hitting Zimmerman in the face.
The fight continued until Sheesley pulled a .45 caliber derringer from his pocket, police said.
Zimmerman reportedly knocked the gun out of Sheesely's hand, and it skidded across the parking lot, police said.
In the scramble, Zimmerman got to the gun first and took it inside the A-Plus store, where he set it behind the counter and asked Claar to call police. She complied.
Zimmerman waited inside the store, while Sheesley sat sideways on his motorcycle.
Fisher said he smelled alcohol on Sheesely's breath and observed that he had glassy-looking eyes. A preliminary breath test resulted in a 0.124 reading, after which Sheesley was placed under arrest and taken to Evangelical Community Hospital for further testing. At 7:57 p.m., a test there showed Sheesley blood alcohol content was 0.125 percent, above the legal limit of 0.08 percent, police said.
Sheesley will have a preliminary hearing Oct. 1 before District Judge Leo S. Armbruster. On Monday, he refused to comment on the incident.
Sheesley is charged with two counts each of reckless endangerment, driving under the influence of alcohol, and simple assault, and one count each of making terroristic threats and disorderly conduct.
Charges against Zimmerman are pending, police said.
