Courts. (Credit: Bermix Studio / Unsplash.com)
Despite a vicious assault in September 2024, Ronald Heitz was sentenced on lesser charges, including jail time and court-mandated treatment
A man with an extensive criminal history who sent a victim to the hospital after a vicious assault at 7-Eleven in Lansdale last September was not prosecuted on an aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury charge.
Instead, Ronald Anthony Heitz, 32, no fixed address, pleaded guilty this week to misdemeanor charges of simple assault and reckless endangerment of a person and was sentenced to nine to 23 months in Montgomery County jail, with credit for 169 days’ time served, for the incident that occurred at the Main Street and Cannon Avenue store, according to court documents.
Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Steven T. O’Neill ordered a drug and alcohol evaluation for Heitz and he must comply with recommended treatment, per court records.
Heitz was also ordered to attend and complete anger management and have no contact with the victim, and he is banned from all 7-Eleven stores.
A misdemeanor charge of defiant trespassing and summary offenses of harassment and disorderly conduct were dismissed.
On Sept. 17, at 5:01 p.m., Lansdale Police responded to an emergency call at 7-Eleven, 651 W. Main St. for a fight in progress between two men, police said. While en route, dispatch informed police that one man was bleeding from the head and going in and out of consciousness, per the criminal complaint.
Upon arrival, police found a man matching a description of the suspect and recognized Heitz from prior incidents, police said.
Officers found a man suffering from a head wound on the floor in front of the counter, described as semi-conscious and not alert, police said.
The victim was taken by VMSC Emergency Medical Services to Grand View Hospital for treatment, police said.
Heitz was detained at 5:05 p.m. for suspicion of assault, and he asked what he was being detained for, per the affidavit. “Assault,” police said. “I didn’t do nothing, rewind the cameras,” Heitz replied.
A witness told authorities that the Heitz and the victim were arguing, with Heitz saying, “You’re lucky I don’t know you the f--- out,” to which the victim replied, “Do it," per the affidavit.
Police said Heitz punched the victim in the face, knocking him down and out, striking his head on the floor. The witness went outside, police said, and asked Heitz, “Why would you do that? You could have killed him.”
Heitz said, “Aint’ nobody got it on camera.”
A second witness told police that Heitz was in the back of the store playing the skill games, talking about killing someone, according to the complaint.
He then asked for help with a skill game machine, but the victim told Heitz to wait his turn. Police said that was when Heitz got in the victim’s face and threatened to “knock him the f--- out,” before striking the victim.
Surveillance footage showed Heitz interacting with a clerk and arguing with the victim, whose hands were behind his back. Heitz continued to argue before hitting the victim with a closed fist.
Police said the victim had no way to defend himself or prevent the fall, due to the position of his arms.
Heitz had previously been warned for trespassing and had been previously arrested for defiant trespassing at the 7-Eleven, police said.
Heitz has a criminal history dating back to 2012, including convictions on felony robbery by force, felony drug possession, and misdemeanor receiving stolen property and defiant trespassing charges.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
