Wilkes-Barre man stands trial on murder charges – Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice

A Wilkes-Barre man is accused of intentionally running over and killing a man in Plains Twp. will stand trial on murder charges in September, a judge ruled last week.

Louis Max Weihbrecht, 56, faces a single count of felony murder after a preliminary hearing Friday before District Judge Joseph D. Spagnuolo Jr. in Lucerne District Court.

Weihbrecht's attorney, John Pike, successfully argued for the dismissal of a second charge, namely the charge of fleeing to avoid arrest.

According to prosecutors, Weihbrecht struck and killed 47-year-old Mark Svadeba near Lou's Auto Repair at 510 N. Main St. on the night of Sept. 13.

Svadeba was taken to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, where he died from multiple traumatic injuries. The coroner's office ruled the death a homicide.

Police allege that Weihbrecht, who knew Svadeba, intentionally hit and ran over Svadeba after an argument and then drove his 2007 Chevrolet Silverado to the area of ​​West Academy Street and Pickering Street in Wilkes-Barre. Police found the truck unattended with damage to the front end.

Weihbrecht previously made headlines for two violent assaults he was accused of.

In July 2023, he was sentenced to two months to two years in the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for simple assault for severely beating a woman who refused to have sex with him.

Weihbrecht was also previously accused of hitting a man with a hammer during an argument in a tool cart outside Good Guys Automotive at 151 N. Diamond St. on the afternoon of Aug. 14, 2018.

In that case, he went to trial and was acquitted of all charges in June 2019.

Weihbrecht remains incarcerated without bail in the Lucerne District Correctional Facility until the murder case is clarified.

Originally published: November 10, 2024 at 9:06 am EST