ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – A jury trial began Monday afternoon for an Escanaba Township man charged with shooting his former father-in-law.
On January 21, 2024, Jacob Cronick’s ex-wife, Alexandria Parrotta, and a group of men went to Cronoick’s home to collect Alexandria’s property. Alexandria’s father, Eric Parrotta, arrived later on. Cronick and Parrotta got into a verbal argument, during which Cronick told him to leave.
Security camera footage and cell phone videos show Parrotta knocking Cronick’s phone from his hands. Cronick can then be seen pinning Parrotta against the hood of a vehicle.
The other men jumped into the fight. After the group separated, Cronick shot Parrotta in the abdomen, which led to a three-day hospitalization.
A jury was selected for the trial on Monday morning. Shortly after 1:15 p.m., the trial began with opening remarks from the prosecution and defense.
“Eric was approximately 15 feet away from the defendant when the defendant started pursuing and hunting Eric,” Delta County Prosecutor Lauren Wickman said in part. “He blows past John and shoots Eric, who is backing up… In the course of that pursuit, he yells, ‘You touched me. You really want to touch me?’ After the defendant fires the gun, Eric falls to the ground and the defendant continues to pursue Eric, walking right up to Eric and pointing the gun at him again.”
“You will hear the honest and reasonable fear of death that [Cronick] endured,” his defense attorney said, “one that includes being choked for over 20 seconds with threats of ‘I’m going to put you to sleep’ over and over and over, his neck being squeezed harder and harder, and facing the feeling of his demise surrounded by five people. Once he was able to escape—the fear still surrounding him and still pushing and being pulled—observes yet another threat and he shoots.”
Cronick faces one charge of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and a felony firearm charge. WZMQ 19 will continue to follow this trial throughout the week.
