A man accused of knocking an elderly couple to the ground while attempting to approach Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Patrick Havas, 38, appeared via video in Mahoning County on Tuesday to face two charges of assault, one charge of disorderly conduct, and one charge of inducing panic. He entered a plea of not guilty to all the charges. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon when Acton, a Democrat, was visiting the annual Canfield Fair in Canfield. According to an incident report obtained by NBC News, Havas allegedly pushed through a crowd to reach Acton, knocking two elderly individuals over in the process. Ohio state troopers, who were serving as Acton’s security detail, intervened and grabbed Havas as he approached her. Law enforcement officials reported finding two handguns, a set of brass knuckles, and a Taser on Havas after his arrest. However, the incident report noted that Havas never brandished a weapon during the incident. A judge set a $5,000 cash surety bond for Havas and ordered him to surrender any weapons he owns as a condition of the bond. Havas was also instructed not to speak to the media and to avoid contact with the elderly couple and Acton after his release. His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment following Tuesday’s hearing. Havas has a prior arrest record from 2008 for petty theft, which was reduced to disorderly conduct after he pleaded no contest. Mahoning County Prosecutor Lynn Maro defended her office’s decision not to pursue felony charges against Havas after Tuesday’s hearing. She noted that Havas did not make physical contact with Acton or brandish a weapon. Under Ohio’s open-carry law, adults can possess firearms without a permit as long as they are not concealed under clothing. Maro said there were no charges that would fit for simply possessing weapons. “We’re not going to let emotions take over,” she said. “We’re going to follow the evidence and the facts.” Acton described the incident as a “rough day” during a Labor Day parade in Cleveland on Monday, according to a local news affiliate. She expressed gratitude to those who helped the injured individuals and the state troopers who provided security. “I am a fierce warrior in this fight,” Acton said. “That’s exactly why I’m running. I refuse to look the other way like people didn’t look the other way when I was a struggling kid in Youngstown, Ohio. I won’t look the other way, and you are refusing to look the other way.” Three witnesses told NBC News they saw Havas knock two older attendees to the ground and saw Acton, a physician, help care for them afterward. The individuals’ names were redacted from the incident report, and NBC News was unable to reach them for comment on Tuesday. They were treated on-site and released, the report said.