A Columbia man was recently convicted of brutally beating a 62-year-old man last year in Columbia.
A Lancaster County jury convicted Shakim N. McIlwain of aggravated assault, conspiracy, and related counts regarding the Sept. 3 incident on Walnut Street.
Assistant District Attorney Ande Gonzalez presented evidence at the two-day trial of how McIlwain, 23, jumped the victim outside his home. Surveillance footage showed McIlwain punching the victim in the face and kicking him in the head when he was on the ground.
The victim sustained facial fractures and permanent injury to his right eye.
The jury returned its verdict on the afternoon of March 1.
Lancaster County Judge Donald Totaro, who presided over the trial, will order sentence after a background check is completed in about two months.
At the verdict, Judge Totaro raised McIlwain’s bail to $250,000, which was not posted. McIlwain had been out on $30,000 bail.
The incident happened in the 600 block of Walnut Street. Around 3 a.m., the victim went outside to ask a group of individuals to quiet down or move along. The victim was then beaten.
One of the individuals - 22-year-old Randy Cornell Howard - left a cellphone at the scene, which the victim’s wife recovered and turned over to police. A witness also provided police with license plate information regarding the vehicle that fled the scene.
A few minutes after the assault, police found that vehicle parked, with McIlwain inside. His clothing matched clothing of the attacker seen in the surveillance video.
McIlwain also was charged with DUI and driving under suspension for driving after the assault.
Howard, formerly of Columbia, is also charged and is a wanted fugitive. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact Columbia Borough police (717-684-2120) or submit a tip via this CrimeWatch page.
(In photo: McIlwain, left, and Howard.)
Columbia police Sgt. Samuel Stein filed charges.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright
