Published December 24. 2015 07:16AM
AMBRIDGE, Pa. (AP) - A man accused of shooting a western Pennsylvania police officer saved by his bulletproof vest has been ordered to stand trial on attempted homicide and other charges.
The father of 28-year-old Earl Hollins claims the officer was mistaken when he identified the suspect in a photo lineup after the Oct. 28 shooting.But Harmony Township Officer Alan Loskoch testified at a preliminary hearing Tuesday that he recognized Hollins because he'd encountered him twice before, during a traffic stop and while searching a home.Loskoch was patrolling about 3:45 a.m. when he saw a man trying to break into a car. Loskoch says the man turned and fired when confronted.Hollins' attorney says he believes the officer was mistaken, and Earl Hollins Sr. says, "It's definitely a case of mistaken identity."