The 21-year-old charged with attempted homicide still has no attorney. Police meanwhile, continue to try and identify the man they say hit the victim with a bat during the assault.
The preliminary hearing for a 21-year-old Allentown man accused of nearly beating to death a teenager at a Bushkill Township party last summer was delayed because the suspect still hasn't obtained an attorney.
Senior District Judge Elmo Frey explained to Michael Lopez the importance of getting an attorney as soon as possible to handle the serious charges he faces, including attempted homicide.
“We need to get this dealt with,” the judge said. “This has been hanging around pretty long already.”
Authorities charged Lopez in June with the July 2012 assault.
Authorities allege Lopez, along with five others, attacked Corey Parenti as the teen was leaving a party hosted by Nicholas Fry in the 200 block of East Mountain Road in Bushkill Township. Police say the group was hiding in hedges along the driveway at the home, hoping to avenge an earlier attack of one of their friends at the party.
Parenti was not involved in the previous attack, but had the unfortunate luck of being the first person the group encountered, according to court records.
Police say a man, as yet unidentified, struck Parenti with a baseball bat, knocking him unconscious. That’s when Lopez allegedly began attacking Parenti with kicks to the face and body and punches with a pair of brass knuckles.
Parenti remembered none of it, according to court papers. Friends found him in the driveway and drove him to the hospital. The victim suffered a broken nose, shattered eye socket and permanent hearing loss, court records indicate.
He remained in the Lehigh Valley Hospital trauma unit for five days after the assault, according to authorities. Parenti and his family attended the hearing, but declined comment.
Lopez, dressed in a tie, black vest, checkered dress shirt and jeans, was accompanied by his father.
Lopez's alleged co-conspirators, including Joseph Esteves, Damon Williams, Felipe Viana and a 17-year-old juvenile, pleaded guilty and were sentenced to probation and restitution. Fry, who hosted the party and allegedly attacked another person at the event, pleaded guilty to underage drinking and simple assault.
Assistant District Attorney Patricia Fuentes-Mulqueen said the co-conspirators must truthfully testify for the prosecution as part of their probation. Court records indicated that some of the accused in the case had ties to the Latin Kings gang.
Bushkill Township police officer Peter Dewey said the case remains open and the investigation ongoing.
“We still have one more guy and that one more guy is our bat swinger,” Dewey said. “We still need to identify him.”
Dewey said the case has constantly evolved for the past year and new information has slowly been coming to light.
“Stuff is tending to fall into place,” he said.
In addition to attempted homicide, Lopez faces charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment, harassment, criminal conspiracy, disorderly conduct, and loitering and prowling.
He remains free after posting 10 percent of his $25,000 bail.