Zeller
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WILKES-BARRE — A Wilkes-Barre woman was acquitted on felony assault charges alleging she struck a man with her vehicle but found guilty of endangering the man and punching a woman during a brawl after a youth football game in 2021.
Rachelle Rae Zeller, 38, of Mayock Street, faced a state prison sentence if she had been convicted on two counts of aggravated assault.
Zeller faced a two-day Luzerne County jury trial before President Judge Michael T. Vough on allegations she punched and stomped Dayna Schall and drove her Mercedes Benz onto the football field and struck Gary Chapin during a fight involving parents, coaches and players.
The melee happened after referees abruptly ended a youth all-star football game played on Joe Larock Football Field in Sugarloaf Township on Nov. 20, 2021. The game was called early due to players, ages 10-12, fighting.
After the game ended, parents from opposing teams began fighting that also involved coaches.
During the trial, Chapin said he was trying to end the fight when he noticed his wife had been attacked and had a bloody lip. Chapin said he ran to get the license plate of a vehicle occupied by a woman he believed punched his wife when he was struck.
Zeller’s attorney, Theron J. Solomon, said his client was gathering her son and daughter to leave the field when she noticed Schall aggressively approach her daughter. Believing her daughter was about to be assaulted, Zeller admitted to punching Schall before getting into her vehicle.
Unable to back up due to people around her, Solomon said Zeller drove around a grandstand and onto the field not intending to hit Chapin.
Solomon said it was Chapin who was the aggressor by charging at Zeller.
“He (Chapin) was seeking out vengeance,” Solomon said after Chapin believed Zeller was responsible for causing Chapin’s wife to sustain a busted lip.
Solomon agreed with assistant district attorneys Carl Frank and Anthony Cardone that the scene was chaotic. Solomon said the fight was a near riot.
Solomon further said Zeller was being the scapegoat for the large melee as Sugarloaf Township police did not charge anyone else and only interviewed a select few who were at the scene.
Frank told the jury during closing arguments that Zeller had the opportunity to back up her vehicle but decided to drive over a concrete parking slab and onto the field for the purpose of running down Chapin.
Video of the melee and Zeller punching Schall was played to the jury during the trial and Frank’s closing argument. Frank said the footage showed Zeller running across the field to punch Schall, and Chapin being struck by the vehicle.
Solomon said Zeller only wanted to escape the chaotic scene with her children and her best shot was driving onto the field.
“It was her intent to get the hell out of there,” Solomon told the jury.
After deliberating two hours Wednesday, the jury acquitted Zeller on two counts of aggravated assault involving Chapin being struck by the vehicle but found her guilty of simple assault and recklessly endangering Chapin with the car.
Zeller was found guilty of disorderly conduct involving the fight and simple assault for punching Schall.
After the jury was dismissed, Vough split summary harassment offenses, finding Zeller guilty on one and not guilty on the other.
Vough denied a request by Frank to revoke Zeller’s bail. She remains free on $25,000 bail pending sentencing, which is scheduled for May 4.