LONDONDERRY TOWNSHIP, Dauphin County — A Mount Joy man accused of shooting two people and narrowly missing several others at a Londonderry Township bar had his case bound over for trial Thursday.
Tanner Stark, 22, of the 400 block of Colebrook Road, is facing 26 charges, including three counts of attempted murder. Police say Stark fired several shots at the bar patio of the River House Bar & Grill in Londonderry Township on the night of March 24, hitting a patron in the leg and a bartender in the chest.
Stark also suffered several gunshot wounds to the chest in the incident, which happened shortly after 1:30 a.m. In a report of Stark’s preliminary hearing, Pennlive.com reported that one of the bar’s patrons, Dave Seesholtz of Hummelstown, described how he emptied his semi-automatic Glock handgun in Stark’s direction.
Seesholtz and bartender Andrew Cole confronted Stark in the bar’s parking lot, minutes after Stark is accused of firing several shots in the bar’s direction.
Seesholtz testified that Cole stood in Stark’s way as Stark moved in the direction of the bar’s entrance. Seesholtz testified that he then saw a muzzle flash and fell to the ground. He saw both men struggling and heard more shots. Cole said he had been hit. Seesholtz said Stark approached again and he saw another muzzle flash. At that point he drew his own gun and fired seven or eight shots at Stark, who retreated.
Seesholtz has not been charged.
According to the criminal complaint against Stark, the incident began when a bouncer at the bar ejected Stark for carrying a firearm inside the building. They described Stark becoming belligerent when told to leave the premises. As Stark was leaving one bouncer heard Stark rack the slide on his semi-automatic handgun. Shortly afterwards shots were fired at the bar. No one inside was hit, but one patron on the outdoor patio was hit in the leg. He refused medical treatment, police said.
The confrontation in the parking lot between Stark, Cole and Seesholtz happened a few minutes later, before police arrived on the scene.
Police say Stark fled into a wooded area near the bar. When police arrived on the scene, bar patrons pointed to the area he was last seen fleeing toward. After a brief search, Stark was located underneath a flatbed semi-trailer near the River House Bar parking that was protruding from the surrounding wood line. When he was taken into custody, police discovered he had several gunshot wounds to his chest. Police also detected the strong odor of alcohol on his breath.
At the hearing, Stark’s charges were reduced as follows:
- Four counts of attempted homicide were changed to three counts of attempted murder.
- Five counts of second-degree aggravated assault were changed to four counts of first-degree.
- Two counts of simple assault were changed to four counts of aggravated assault.
- And 82 counts of reckless endangerment for those who had been in the bar was reduced to one, with the offense representing the entire course of conduct.
Added was failing to have a permit to carry a concealed firearm.
He is also charged with discharging a firearm into an occupied structure, possessing instruments of crime, harassment, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness.
