Trial of Rock Falls man accused in neighbor’s death put on hold Tuesday

MORRISON – The trial of a Rock Falls man accused of beating a neighbor so badly that the man died nearly three weeks later of his injuries was postponed Tuesday morning, minutes before jury selection was set to begin.

Scott E. Hagerman, who turned 62 on Sunday, is accused of hitting Ronald E. Fistler Jr., 61, with his fists on Aug. 6, 2022, causing a brain injury. Fistler died Aug. 25, 2022, at Amberwood Care Center in Rockford.

Tuesday, Hagerman dropped his appointed attorney, Whiteside County Public Defender James Fagerman, and asked Judge Trish Senneff for a continuance so he could hire representation.

Over the objection of the prosecution, Senneff granted the continuance, and set an April 15 date for an attorney status hearing, and a July 24 pretrial conference.

Absent any exigent circumstances, no more continuances will be allowed, Senneff ruled.

Hagerman is charged with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm to a person 60 or older, punishable by three to seven years in prison, and aggravated battery causing great bodily harm and aggravated battery in a public place, each of which carry two to five years in prison.

He also is charged with resisting arrest, a misdemeanor, by refusing to cooperate with a Rock Falls police officer during his arrest processing, the charging document says.

At the time, the two men were living in the Whiteside County Housing Authority’s Garden Homes complex in the 400 block of Garden Circle, which has 40 units for elderly or disabled low-income tenants.

According to a news release then, police received a 911 call about 2:30 p.m. reporting an assault, and when they arrived, they found Fistler on the ground, injured.

He was taken to CGH Medical Center in Sterling and later, “due to the severity of his injuries,” to OSF St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, according to the release. He then was transferred to Amberwood.

Hagerman was freed Dec. 5, 2022, after posting $2,500 of his $25,000 bond, which was reduced from $40,000.

Hagerman has no felony history in Whiteside or Lee counties, court records show.

According to his obituary, Fistler was a U.S. Navy veteran and a member of the Rock Falls American Legion.