North Charleroi man arrested in assault
Notice: Undefined variable: article_ad_placement3 in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/single.php on line 128
A North Charleroi man being taken into custody on assault charges Monday afternoon also now faces a drug paraphernalia charge after Charleroi Regional police found a scale with white powder residue and $1,034 in his pockets.
Christopher Richardson, 38, of 420 Highland Ave., was wanted on a warrant obtained by police from District Judge Larry Hopkins for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend earlier that day.
Staff at Monongahela Valley Hospital called police about 10:30 a.m. Monday for a report of a woman assaulted by her boyfriend. Denise Clarks told police that she had taken her daughter the previous night for a church function in Greensburg and returned home about 11:30 p.m.
Clarks told police that she logged into Facebook and saw a friend request from a Bentleyville woman. She asked Richardson if he knew the woman and he told her she was “some chick from Bentleyville.”
After Clarks accepted the friend request, the woman sent her a lengthy personal message on Facebook indicating that she had been seeing Richardson since August.
Clarks read the message to Richardson, who jumped out of bed and yelled at her that he was leaving. Richardson reportedly shoved Clarks who then shoved him back. She also told police she threw a cup of water at him, but it did not hit him.
Richardson then allegedly threw her into closet doors, causing them to break. He reportedly hit and punched her in the face, before throwing her to the floor where he kicked and punched her until she blacked out.
Clarks said she was afraid to call police. He also reportedly sent her a text message indicating that she did not know what he was capable of and that the assault was “a taste of what he could do.”
When police arrived at his home about 4 p.m. to serve the warrant, they found him with the cash and suspected paraphernalia.
Richardson was arraigned before District Judge Valarie Costanzo on charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, disorderly conduct, harassment and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was released from Washington County jail after posting $15,000 bond.
A preliminary hearing is set for Dec. 23 before Hopkins.