Lima man charged in assault rejects plea deal

LIMA — A Lima man who police say pistol-whipped his victim during a robbery attempt at a Lima bar rejected a deal from prosecutors during a contentious hearing Thursday.

Justin Shears, 33, faces charges of aggravated robbery with a firearm specification, felonious assault with a firearm specification and having a weapon under disability in connection with an incident that took place in the early morning hours of Sept. 20, 2017, outside Marko’s Bar on South Main Street in Lima.

On Thursday, he turned down a deal that called for him to plead guilty to aggravated robbery with a firearm specification and felonious assault with the firearm spec removed by prosecutors.