Carjacking Victim 'Ready & Willing' To Face Alleged Attacker In Court

GREENSBURG (KDKA) -- Ronald Shissler Jr.'s preliminary hearing on charges he held a knife to a young mother's neck while she was getting into her car was waived on Friday.

However, the victim in the case was there, saying she was ready to testify because she does not fear her alleged attacker.

"I was a very carefree person, very bubbly. Me and my kids would go out, I didn't pay mind to other people," Christina Gootz said.

But what happened in the Greensburg Walmart parking lot would change all that. She is now constantly aware of her surroundings.

"It's more a precautionary measure so that something like that never happens again," Gootz said.

On May 20, the mother of three was getting into her car when 42-year-old Schissler Jr. of Grapeville allegedly came up from behind, threatening to slice her throat as he tried to carjack her.

"I'm learning to refocus my daily activities. When it first happened it was very hard for me," Gootz said.

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Schissler waived his preliminary hearing on assault, attempted kidnapping and attempted robbery counts stemming from the incident. Christina Gootz said she was ready and willing to face the man who threatened to kill her.

"Having this happen to me, and now learning that as I face these things he loses that power that he had over me, that I no longer fear him," she said.

During the alleged attack, Gootz's 5-year-old was in the back seat. While his mother has refocused, it's still on the little boys mind.

"Whenever you mention Walmart, he says 'this isn't Greensburg?'"

But Gootz insists she's ready for the next step in the case, and in the end she'll overcome.

"Each step we go further it's a relief that I can put this one step behind me," she said.

Ronald Earl Schissler Jr. remains in the Westmoreland County Jail, his trial date is set for Aug. 17.