CUYAHOGA COUNTY, Ohio — Donald Varga, the Olmsted Township man accused of shooting and killing his son Corey Varga amid a domestic dispute, appeared in court on Friday morning for an arraignment hearing.
During the hearing, he pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder as well as a misdemeanor count of domestic violence. Bond was set at $1 million and the case was bound over to Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.
Olmsted Township police say officers were dispatched to a residence on Homestead Drive at around 9:09 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26, for a report of domestic violence between a 29-year-old son and his 63-year-old father.
Police say that the father had reported his son was attacking him with a baseball bat before he shot his son in the chest.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found the father outside and took him into custody. In addition, police found the son with a gunshot wound to his chest.
Olmsted Township paramedics attempted lifesaving measures and transported him to the hospital, where he died as a result of his injuries.
During Donald Varga's court appearance, Denise Varga, Corey's mother, asked for a low bond, citing this as an isolated incident.
“I believe this is a very isolated family incident and that the accused is not a risk of dangering others outside and that he also does not pose a flight risk even though these charges are very serious," said Denise Varga. "I believe it was really isolated to a domestic incident.”
The Olmsted Township Police Department was assisted on scene by the Olmsted Township Fire Department and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification.
At this time, the shooting remains under investigation by the Olmsted Township Police Department, Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification.
MORE ON WKYC...
Want to be among the first to know the most important local and national news? The latest sports updates? We've got you covered! You can download the free WKYC app and get the latest updates sent to your phone: Android, Apple.