Ohio gubernatorial candidate's fair encounter leads to assault charges, suspect pleads not guilty
A man who pushed through a crowd and knocked two seniors to the ground while trying to approach Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton has pleaded not guilty to assault, disorderly conduct and panic charges.
Patrick Havas, 38, appeared via video in Mahoning County Court on Tuesday and entered a not-guilty plea to two assault counts, one disorderly-conduct count and one charge of inducing panic. The charges stem from an incident at the Canfield Fair on Sunday, when Havas allegedly forced his way through a crowd to reach Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton, causing two elderly attendees to fall.
State troopers assigned to Acton’s security detained Havas, and a subsequent search uncovered two handguns, brass knuckles and a Taser, though the report states he did not brandish any weapon during the event. A judge set a $5,000 cash surety bond, required Havas to surrender any weapons he owns, and barred him from contacting the victims, Acton or the media.
Mahoning County Prosecutor Lynn Maro explained that felony charges were not pursued because Havas never made physical contact with Acton nor displayed a weapon. She noted that Ohio’s open-carry law permits adults to possess firearms openly, and there is no statutory provision for charging mere possession of the items found on Havas. "We’re not going to let emotions take over. We’re going to follow the evidence. We’re going to follow the facts, and that’s how we’re going to prosecute," Maro said.
Video from Havas’s phone, reviewed by prosecutors, shows him entering the tent, calling out Acton’s name, and then being intercepted by security, after which his phone was dropped. The footage was deemed insufficient to support felony charges.
Acton described the episode as a "rough day" during a Labor Day parade in Cleveland and thanked the troopers and bystanders who assisted the injured seniors, who were treated on site and released. Former state representative John Boccieri, who was near Acton, said Havas approached within a few feet and shouted the candidate’s name before being restrained.
Havas’s attorney has not commented on the case. Records indicate Havas was previously arrested in 2008 for petty theft, pleading no contest to a reduced disorderly-conduct charge.