A man who evaded justice for more than a decade in connection with a local gay bashing finally had his day in court this week.
Patrick Groce, 36, came before Common Pleas Court Judge Harold Kane Monday, who sentenced him to 11-23 months in prison for the June 1994 beating of Alan Yollin. Groce was eligible for up to four years in prison for aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment and conspiracy charges.
The sentence included work-release, allowing him to leave the prison during the day to continue his car-detailing career. His sentence will be followed by seven years of probation.
Groce and accomplice Thomas Grafton, now 35, attacked Yollin as he was walking near 13th and Lombard streets.
The pair yelled antigay slurs at Yollin as they drove near the intersection and then parked the car and punched and kicked him, leaving him with bruised ribs and facial lacerations.
Both were arrested shortly after the incident, but Groce, free on bail after his conviction, failed to show up for his sentencing proceeding. Grafton was sentenced to four-and-a-half to nine years.
Groce was finally captured after being arrested for driving under the influence in Delaware County, where he was living, earlier this year.
Since going on the lam, Groce got married, had three kids and kept up a job, and Kane told him he did not want his family to lose their house.
The charges against Groce could have resulted in a maximum 18-32 years in prison, but the sentencing guidelines for this case stood between two and four years.
Assistant District Attorney Vincent Regan argued for the four-year sentence and said he was “disappointed” by the judge’s ruling.
“I think in this case, a stronger sentence would have sent out a message to people that fleeing instead of facing up to their sentencing is not the way to go,” he said. “I didn’t think this sentence was appropriate. The defendant was rewarded for fleeing.”
According to a victim-impact statement that Regan read for the court Monday, Yollin has since moved to Arizona, primarily because of the beating and the fact that one of his attackers was still at large.
Hate-crimes charges were not an option, as the state’s hate-crimes law does not extend to sexual orientation or gender identity.
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].