Eight defendants face conspiracy and assault charges; jury selection to begin May 18
At least eight members of the Pagans Outlaw Motorcycle Gang will stand trial this spring on charges they conspired in a violent confrontation and shooting involving a rival biker gang that left six people wounded, including two bystanders.
Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Risa Vetri Ferman issued an order scheduling jury selection to begin May 18. The trial is expected to last about four weeks.
The charges stem from an incident around 9:12 p.m. Oct. 17, 2025, in the parking lot of the Wawa at 2544 W. Main St. in West Norriton Township.
What prosecutors allege
According to prosecutors, nine Pagans members encountered two members of the rival Unknown Bikers Motorcycle Club who had stopped to refuel. Authorities allege the Pagans surrounded the men and began a physical assault in an attempt to remove their club “colors,” escalating into a gunfight.
District Attorney Kevin Steele previously said surveillance video showed Pagans members “tactically moving through the area and taking a shooting platform stance” before gunfire erupted.
Six people were struck by gunfire, including two bystanders — a man shot in the face while putting air in his tire and a woman shot in the torso near the store entrance. Three Pagans members and one member of the Unknown Bikers were also wounded.
Investigators recovered 14 spent shell casings at the scene. Authorities have said the Unknown Bikers acted in self-defense and have not been charged.
Defense arguments
Defense attorneys have argued there is no direct evidence their clients fired weapons and have pointed to testimony that 13 of the 14 casings were linked to firearms associated with the Unknown Bikers.
During earlier court proceedings, Assistant District Attorney Bradley Walter Deckel countered that the violence would not have occurred “but for the decisions of the defendants … because the defendants made a decision as a group.”
Those previously ordered to stand trial include Manuel “Machete” Baez-Santos, Erik Dixon, Joel “Chihuahua” Hernandez-Martinez, George Hripto Jr., Jason William Lawless, Luke Clayton Higgins and Justin “Junkyard” Ray Noll.
Last week, District Judge Cathleen Kelly Rebar also held Erik P. Rosenberger for court following a separate preliminary hearing, bringing the total to eight defendants now scheduled for trial. A ninth defendant, George T. Cwienk III, is still awaiting his hearing.
Each defendant faces multiple felony counts of aggravated assault and riot, along with conspiracy, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.
Eight defendants remain jailed after failing to post $500,000 cash bail, according to court records.
Authorities said video footage showed the rival bikers arriving at 9:08 p.m., followed by nine Pagans at 9:10 p.m. Within minutes, a fight broke out and shots were fired. Police later stopped several Pagans members riding eastbound on Main Street in Norristown, finding some had been shot.
The investigation has involved West Norriton Township Police, the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, the District Attorney’s Gun Violence Reduction Task Force, and multiple regional law enforcement agencies
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
