Exactly six months after an all-night standoff including the shooting of a Washington County Sheriff's Deputy, Jason Berecz has been convicted on 13 counts, including three specifically related to the officer's shooting.

The verdict, announced just after 11:15 Tuesday morning, convicted the Washington County man of attempted murder for the shooting of Sergeant Scott Parks April 7, and four counts of felonious assault, two of them connected to Parks' shooting.

Two of the felonious assault charges involve shots fired at a passing van and its two occupants that night.

The jury deliberated just less than 12 hours over two days. It actually reached most of its verdicts, including those involving the deputy shooting Monday night, but is believed to have had difficulty coming to a decision on the shootings involving the occupants of the van, Helen Gragan and her son, Jered.

Not guilty verdicts were reached on attempted murder involving the shots fired at the Gragans, as well as on a domestic violence charge.

Testimony last week indicates the incident began with an arguement involving Berecz, his mother, Sharon, and girlfriend Victoria Kyer at the Berecz home on Washington County road 9. Investigators found numerous shots fired inside the home as well as outside.

No one else, however, was hurt other than Sergeant Parks, who suffered wounds to the right side of his face which temporarily blinded him and which, according to an emergency medical technician at the scene and a doctor who initially treated him, came close to being fatal.
Parks returned to the force a few weeks later and was the first witness at Berecz's trial last week.

Washington County Assistant Prosecutor Kevin Rings says Berecz could face at least 50 years in prison on the convictions and several firearm specifications. Berecz is scheduled to be sentenced November 18.