Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Officer Eugene Hlavac Jr Charged with Assaulting Ex-Girlfriend

A Pittsburgh police officer who was arrested after assaulting his ex-girlfriend earlier this month will have an internal hearing regarding the incident today.

Eugene F. Hlavac Jr., 42, of Greenfield, was originally charged with aggravated assault, but that count was reduced to simple assault during a preliminary hearing.

According to Lauren Maughan, 23, Sgt. Hlavac slapped her face during an argument. She said she sustained a dislocated jaw in the incident.

Sgt. Hlavac claims he was defending himself.

Phillip DiLucente, who is representing Sgt. Hlavac in his criminal case, said all he hopes for is a thorough investigation.

"I truly believe if there is a complete and thorough investigation the disposition will be that Sgt. Hlavac should be able to maintain his job," Mr. DiLucente said.

While a judge last week approved a protection from abuse order in the matter requiring Sgt. Hlavac to stay away from Ms. Maughan and to give up all of his weapons, a final hearing on the matter is scheduled for Monday morning before Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Kathryn Hens-Greco.

In the meantime, Sgt. Hlavac late last week filed for shared custody of the 3-year-old boy he has with Ms. Maughan.

Judge David Wecht, who is assigned to the custody matter, has ordered that both Ms. Maughan and Sgt. Hlavac attend an education and mediation session on Jan. 16 at the Wightman School Community Building. Further, the judge scheduled mandatory mediation on the matter for Feb. 5.

Sgt. Hlavac said in the court filing asking for shared custody that the best interest of the child would be served because he "has and will continue to provide the minor child with love, affection, care, treatment and all of the other necessary and proper parental duties and obligations which the said minor child needs and deserves."

Sgt. Hlavac, a night shift supervisor at the Zone 2 police station in the Hill District, has temporarily been assigned to the warrant office.

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