A North Carolina man accused of shooting his friend during an altercation at a Summit Township hotel on July 12 will have the opportunity to get out of jail as he awaits his preliminary hearing in the Pennsylvania State Police case.
Erie County Judge Daniel Brabender on Thursday set bond at $250,000 for William B. Huskins, 52, who faces charges including attempted homicide and aggravated assault in the shooting at the Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham on Peach Street. Huskins, of Raleigh, North Carolina, had been in the Erie County Prison without bond since his arraignment on the early afternoon of July 12, hours after state police allege he shot his 44-year-old friend in a hotel suite they shared.
State police:Summit hotel shooting started as fight over not staying at a bar
Corry District Judge Denise Buell, who arraigned Huskins, cited his out-of-state residence and lack of local ties among the reasons for not setting bond in the case, according to information on Huskins' court docket sheet.
Erie lawyer Chad Vilushis, who is representing Huskins, filed a motion seeking to have bond set in the case. He argued during a motion hearing on the matter before Brabender Thursday morning that Huskins has retained private counsel, owns a home in Raleigh and is self-employed, and Huskins has no prior convictions that Vilushis said he is aware of.
Vilushis also pointed out that Huskins and the man he is accused of shooting are longtime friends who were on a motorcycle trip to Niagara Falls when they stopped in Erie County for the night on July 12.
Vilushis asked Brabender to set bond at $100,000, noting that Huskins is facing a variety of offenses. But he said that, based on the allegations outlined in the criminal complaint against Huskins, the facts "don't completely make sense" and he will vigorously defend Huskins as the case advances in court.
State police allege in the complaint that Huskins reportedly got irritated with his roommate for refusing to stay out at a bar with him, and reportedly threatened to kill him. When Huskins returned to the hotel, investigators allege in the complaint, Huskins reportedly went into the suite and pointed a gun at the roommate's chest, and as the two fought the gun fired and sent a bullet through the roommate's hand.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Jeremy Lightner objected to Vilushis' bond request, stating the facts in the case were "incredibly concerning" and raising concerns about Huskins' out-of-state residency. Lightner requested Brabender set bond at $500,000.
Huskins is scheduled to appear in court for his preliminary hearing on Aug. 28.
Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNhahn.
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