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WILKES-BARRE — A Nanticoke man charged with manslaughter in the fatal shooting death of his friend while playing with firearms waived his right to a preliminary hearing Friday.
Michael Crawn Jr., 18, waived a misdemeanor count of involuntary manslaughter to Luzerne County Court bypassing a preliminary hearing before District Judge Donald Whittaker of Nanticoke. The proceeding took place at the courthouse.
Nanticoke police and detectives with the Luzerne County district attorney’s office charged Crawn, of Minden Court in Honeypot, with fatally shooting Hunter Sipple, 17, on Sept. 1, according to court records.
Sipple died at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township.
An autopsy by forensic pathologist Dr. Gary Ross revealed Sipple died from a gunshot wound to the chest. Coroner Jill Matthews listed Sipple’s manner of death a homicide.
Court records allege Crawn and Sipple retrieved two handguns from a second floor bedroom inside Crawn’s residence.
As Crawn and Sipple went to the first-floor, Crawn was playing with a 9mm Taurus that discharged a round and struck Sipple in the chest, court records say.
Crawn told detectives, court records say, when he realized Sipple was shot, he performed life-saving measures and called 911.
Crawn is represented by Luzerne County Chief Public Defender Joseph Yeager.
Whittaker granted a request by Yeager to modify Crawn’s bail to $25,000 unsecured, resulting in Crawn’s release from the county correctional facility.