ESCANABA — Delta County’s prosecuting attorney said she is still deciding but leaning toward retrying a Bark River man accused of shooting his ex-father-in-law after the first trial ended with a hung jury Saturday.

Jacob Cronick faced two felony charges — assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and felony firearm — in Delta County Circuit Court before Judge John Economopoulos declared the mistrial just before 5 p.m. Eastern time Saturday.

Delta County Prosecutor Lauren Wickman said she is working out what her office will do next.

“I’m going to start collecting some information, try to talk to a couple of the jurors, and then consolidate that information. (I’ll) have a conversation with the victim’s family,” Wickman said.

“Obviously, this is an emotional process on both sides, and so having that conversation about whether we’re going to recharge (or) move forward, (and) how we’re going to do that, and what the new information I might have, we’ll see where we fall,” Wickman said.

Since no verdict was reached, the prosecution can pursue trying the case again if it so chooses.

“I’m definitely leaning towards retrying, but I like to make a decision with as much information as possible,” she said. “And so having that conversation with any of the jurors and seeing what their insight is, that will help me make that final determination of what we’re going to do.”

The case stems from an incident on Jan. 21, 2024, when Cronick’s ex-wife, Alexandria “Alex” Parrotta, came to Cronick’s residence with some other people to retrieve some of her belongings from the garage. An altercation broke out that resulted in Cronick shooting Alex’s father, Eric Parrotta, in the abdomen.

According to surveillance footage and witness testimony, the two did not like each other and were not on good terms.

A scuffle broke out between Eric Parrotta, Cronick and other witnesses after Eric Parrotta slapped a phone out of Cronick’s hand. Cronick responded by slamming Eric Parrotta onto the hood of a car before others got involved.

Cronick was placed in a chokehold during the altercation and heard people saying they were going to “put him to sleep.” Cronick was able to get free and grabbed his gun, firing and hitting Eric Parrotta in the abdomen.

Those with Eric Parrotta left to take him to the hospital.

Cronick called authorities and told them what occurred. When officers arrived, he was sitting outside with his hands up and informed them the gun was inside and unloaded.

He told officers his actions were self-defense but was arrested after officers obtained a search warrant and viewed surveillance footage.

His defense pressed the self-defense argument at trial, while the prosecution claimed his actions went “beyond what the law allows for self-defense and duress.”

Wickman said while mistrials always can happen, “you never necessarily expect it’s going to be that particular case or your particular case. So it was disappointing not to have a verdict and not to be able to have some closure, but I understand, and that’s why the jury system is what it is.

“So, obviously, the jury spoke, even if they didn’t come back with the verdict, and we accept that, and we’ll take that information and move forward with it,” Wickman said.