Hodge Pleads in Shooting

There were apparently two people Anthony P. Hodge wasn’t trying to shoot the evening of July 16, and on Monday he apologized to one of them.

“I’m sorry for accidentally shooting you,” the 23-year-old Carlisle resident said, turning around to face 27-year-old Trakia Houdeshell.

Authorities say Houdeshell was pregnant when a stray bullet hit her just before midnight as she was sitting with family and friends on her front porch in the 200 block of West North Street. Both she and the baby are now fine.

But Hodge didn’t say anything to Asmara Vasser, who police say was feuding with Hodge over a girl. Vasser, 30, testified in a preliminary hearing last year that he thought Hodge was shooting in the air.

Although he was not in the courtroom when Hodge pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, Vasser emerged from the courthouse shortly afterward and said that if Hodge comes anywhere near him after getting out of prison, he will feel justified in claiming self defense for what he does to Hodge.

“I don’t think it’s over,” Vasser said. But, he said, “I’m not leaving. I was born here, too.”

Then he continued on his way, stopping briefly for an adversarial exchange with members of Hodge’s family, who appeared to be celebrating as they drove away.

Hodge appeared before Judge Wesley Oler immediately before his trial was scheduled to begin Monday afternoon, pleading guilty to one count of aggravated assault.

He was originally charged with attempted homicide, as well as two other counts of aggravated assault and numerous counts of reckless endangerment.

Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed said his office negotiated the plea bargain in part because attempted homicide cases are very difficult to prove and, although Carlisle police did an excellent investigation, prosecutors didn’t have all the proof they would have liked to have.

“When gunplay is involved, witnesses are reluctant,” Freed said, noting he was pleased that Hodge got a felony conviction and time in state prison out of the deal.

Freed also said Houdeshell was “extremely lucky” and that although the bullet grazed her head, her absence of serious injury was another factor that would have made an attempted homicide prosecution difficult.

Asked if the disposition ended the case, Freed said, “At least until Hodge is out of prison.”

Per the agreement, Oler sentenced Hodge to one-and-a-half to five years in state prison, with credit for time served, and recommended that he be considered for boot camp.

Hodge’s attorney, Justin McShane, said the plea bargain was “too great for him to walk away from,” adding that Hodge could have faced several five-year counts if convicted on the other lesser charges originally filed against him.

McShane also expressed doubt as to whether the plea ended the conflict between Hodge and Vasser. If Hodge is accepted into boot camp, McShane said, that could take anywhere from six months to closer to a year, from which Hodge would be immediately paroled upon successful completion.

Carlisle police say Hodge and Vasser were feuding over a girl when the Hodge fired shots at a car Vasser was driving along the first block of West North Street. Hodge fired nine shots, police say, one of which struck Houdeshell.

In the preliminary hearing, McShane questioned Vasser’s character, accusing him of dealing drugs, stalking Hodge and heading a “crew” that he directed to take out his rival.

Vasser turned his car around and drove back down West North Street firing a gun at Hodge, McShane said.

However, police said they found no proof of such shots, and after the hearing Police Chief Stephen Margeson said he knows of no investigations of Vasser for drug dealing and that he was confident police arrested the right person and Vasser was a credible witness.