NEW BERLIN - Stanislaw Sapinski, a Town of New Berlin farmer, was acquitted on December 4 of all charges after a three-day jury trial in the Chenango County Court.

He had been indicted by a Chenango County Grand jury on felony charges of Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree, two counts of Attempted Assault in the Second Degree and the misdemeanor charge Obstruction of Government Administration.

The case involved a collision between Mr. Sapinski's farm tractor and a New Berlin patrol vehicle.

It was alleged that Mr. Sapinski intentionally drove his farm tractor into the patrol vehicle, thereby hitting the vehicle with the tractor's front bucket attempting to cause physical injury to the officer inside the vehicle while the officer was attempting to issue Mr. Sapinski a ticket for Livestock Running at Large.

The Honorable Frank B. Revoir, Jr. presided over the case. Mr. Sapinski was vigorously represented by First Assistant Public Defender Andres Gonzales of the Chenango County Public Defender's Office and the case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christopher Curley.

After the return of the trial court jury's not guilty verdict on his 75th birthday, Mr. Sapinski, an amputee on crutches, tearfully and personally thanked each individual juror for their service after the proceedings.

Had he been convicted, Mr. Sapinski was potentially facing a state prison sentence of 2 1/3 to 7 years.

- Information from the Chenango County Public Defender's Office