HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that a Potter County man, a repeat offender, has been convicted of opening fire outside a Coudersport bar during an altercation with other bar patrons.
A Potter County jury returned guilty verdicts against 59-year-old Richard J. Hurst to felony counts of possession of a prohibited firearm, firearms not to be carried without a license, and misdemeanor simple assault.
Hurst, who has five separate felony convictions from the 1980s and 1990s, will be sentenced after a pre-sentencing investigation is completed.
“This defendant has had more than enough opportunities to reform his behavior, and continues to engage in criminal acts — in this case, callously opening fire in the parking lot of an occupied establishment,” Attorney General Sunday said. “Repeat offenders who illegally carry and use firearms are dangers to society, and we thank the jurors for their time and attention to this serious matter.”
The incident started on Aug. 17, 2023, around 10 p.m., at Vinnie’s Bar at 762 North Main Street, Coudersport. Hurst was involved in a verbal altercation with bar patrons before leaving and returning around midnight, when he fired two shots from his vehicle. He then attempted to enter the bar with the firearm displayed.
Coudersport Borough Police Department led the investigation before the case was referred to the Office of Attorney General for prosecution.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Andrew Biggins.
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