A man accused of charging toward Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton at a campaign event was seeking to ask the Democrat questions, a prosecutor stated during the man's arraignment Tuesday. Patrick Havas, 38, pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault, one count of disorderly conduct and one count of inducing panic.
Authorities said Havas had two handguns, a taser and brass knuckles on his person but did not brandish or unholster the weapons. A search of his cellphone revealed no threats, according to Mahoning County Prosecutor Lynn Maro. During the hearing, Maro told the judge that law enforcement had obtained consent for full access to Havas's cellphone.
Havas was arrested Sunday after he allegedly knocked down two people while forcing his way through a crowd at a fair in Canfield, Ohio, as Acton, a physician and former state public health director, was speaking under a tent. Video taken by Havas shows him "walking into the tent recording and moving forward, calling out her name," Maro said after the hearing. Acton's security detail, comprised of troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol, intercepted Havas before he reached Acton. A patrol spokesperson stated they have no bodycam footage of the incident.
The two individuals who were knocked down were treated at the scene and released, according to an incident report from the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office. John Boccieri, a Democratic candidate for the Ohio House who was near Acton, described Havas as entering "very aggressively" with his cellphone raised, shouting Acton's name.
Havas's attorney, J. Gerald Ingram, stated that his client, who has lived with his mother in Canfield for 30 years, is not a flight risk. The judge ordered Havas to have no contact with Acton or the two individuals who were injured, to forfeit any firearms, and to refrain from speaking with the media. The Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office is requesting public assistance in gathering video of the event.
The Ohio gubernatorial race is a high-profile contest in the upcoming November election, with Acton facing Republican Vivek Ramaswamy. Ramaswamy's campaign has called the incident unacceptable. Addie Bullock, spokesperson for the Acton campaign, expressed gratitude for the "rule of law upheld" and appreciation for law enforcement.