A Columbia man will serve up to a decade in prison for brutally attacking a 62-year-old man last year – which a prosecutor called an assault on the security of the entire Columbia community.
Shakim N. McIlwain, 23, was with a group of people who were being loud on Walnut Street at 3 a.m. on Sept. 3, 2017. McIlwain beat a man who came out of his home and asked the group to move along.
The victim sustained facial fractures and permanent injury to his right eye.
Lancaster County Judge Donald Totaro ordered McIlwain serve 4 to 10 years in prison. Judge Totaro said the victim now feels trapped in his own home, where he has lived for 35 years.
Judge Totaro called McIlwain a danger to society.
Assistant District Attorney Ande Gonzalez, who won the trial conviction, called the beating an assault on the safety and security of everyone in Columbia. Others with McIlwain also took part in beating the man.
Gonzalez noted that after the initial group assault, McIlwain returned and beat the injured man even further.
The judge called it appalling that McIlwain would have returned as the victim was injured and cowering on the ground.
One of the other 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 – leading to McIlwain.
Howard is also charged. His case is pending.
At trial in March, McIlwain was convicted of aggravated assault, conspiracy, and related counts.
Columbia police Sgt. Samuel Stein filed charges.
McIlwain also was ordered to pay $910 in restitution costs.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright