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By ANDREW TUTINO atutino@leader.net
Wednesday, January 12, 2000 Page: 10A
HAZLETON – Almost a week after former Hazleton Mayor Michael Marsicano’s
wife filed a protection-from-abuse order against him, Continental Airlines,
his employer, has grounded him from flying airplanes, according to a source
with the company.
The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Marsicano has
been temporarily grounded from flying for the company. The source would not
say why Marsicano has been grounded.
The PFA order filed by Marsicano’s wife, Lanora, has not been served to the
former mayor, said Sheriff Barry Stankus. On Tuesday, the Sheriff’s Department
tried to serve Marsicano twice in Hazleton, however, both attempts failed,
Stankus said.
“We are following every lead we get,” Stankus said.
The Hazleton Police Department also has a copy of the PFA, said Mayor Lou
Barletta. However, Barletta said it is his understanding that because the PFA
is a civil matter, and not criminal, police cannot serve it. He said police
will act if Marsicano violates the order.
Since Jan. 5, the day the PFA was filed, the Sheriff’s Department has tried
to serve Marsicano about a dozen times, Stankus said.
Marsicano’s wife, Lanora, filed the PFA two days after he left office. The
PFA states that Marsicano physically assaulted his wife on two occasions in
the past year. During one of the assaults, Marsicano allegedly told his wife
she should not report the incident to the police because “he told me he had
control of the law and I could nothing,” Lanora wrote.
A hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday in Luzerne County Orhpan’s Court
in Wilkes-Barre concerning the PFA.
Times Leader Staff Writer Jerry Lynott contributed to this article.