Pike's Pub Defendants in Court

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:

Good morning from Allen Superior Court in Fort Wayne.

Today, four of the six men charged in the May 30 beating of a black man at Pike’s Pub in Waynedale appeared in court in front of Magistrate Samuel Keirns.

The Allen County Prosecutors were successful in adding a third count to their case: criminal gang enhancement.

Next week on August 18, there will be a status hearing to decide when the next court hearing will be. It’s up to Judge Fran Gull to decide whether there will be a joiner, which means that they will all appear in court together and be tried together.

Douglas Zuber, said to be the “money behind the bar,” Christopher Yoho, Ryan Minick and Jerrad Impton who appeared today are charged with felony battery resulting in serious bodily injury and misdemeanor criminal reckless for the beating of James Simmons.

Justin Wert is due to appear in court next Monday and Vard Warnock, the last individual charged after a misidentification on Aug. 25.

All six men have been identified as members of The Outlaws Motorcycle Club, an organization the federal government has labeled a criminal gang.

 Enhancements can lead to longer prison sentences, higher fines, or other penalties beyond the standard punishment for the offense. 

Currently the battery charge is a Level 5 felony which carries a sentence of between one and six years.

We will have more information on this case as it happens.

Reporting from the Allen County Courthouse, I’m Jamie Duffy with The Probable Cause.