Former Pa. Officer Gets Probation After Killing Bystander
Former Center Township police officer John Hawk has been sentenced to five years of probation after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter, simple assault, and reckless endangerment. The charges stem from the 2022 death of Kenneth Vinyard, who was a bystander at a shooting scene. Hawk, who was off-duty and not in uniform, confronted Vinyard and struck him, causing him to fall and sustain fatal injuries. Vinyard’s death was attributed to blunt force trauma and stress inflicted by Hawk, and the officer did not identify himself or attempt to arrest Vinyard.
John Q. Hosedrinker