NEW CUMBERLAND — A Chester man finally has a court date in conjunction with assaulting another man outside the city’s Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

Hancock County Magistrate Matthew Harvey is scheduled to oversee the hearing for Louis P. Gallo, who is charged with malicious assault. The hearing is set for 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, in Hancock County Magistrate Court.

The charges stem from an incident on the evening of July 31 when Gallo is alleged to have “pummelled” an unconscious Brian D. Sweeney in excess of 20 times outside the Chester VFW, as Sweeney laid unresponsive on the sidewalk following a verbal dispute in the building.

According to witnesses and video surveillance, Gallo then allegedly re-entered the establishment and said to an employee, “Your buddy is outside bleeding on the sidewalk.” Gallo then re-exited the VFW and approached the still unmoving Sweeney and kicked him in the head as he laid there before leaving the area.

Sweeney had to be airlifted from East Liverpool City Hospital to Pittsburgh due to the severity of his injuries. There was no update to his condition as of press time Tuesday. The malicious assault charge is an unspecified felony due to his continued attack on an unconscious victim.

If convicted, Gallo faces up to 10 years in prison and a substantial fine.