Mar 10, 2017 2 min read

FREDERICKTOWN – A Deemston man was charged this week with severely assaulting an East Bethlehem Township commissioner in a bar restroom following the township Christmas party in December.

State police Wednesday charged David Anthony Lingis, 37, of 554 Ridgewood Drive, with aggravated assault, simple assault and harassment stemming from the alleged Dec. 16 attack on Paul Battaglini in Riviera Bar, court records show.

Police said the township’s party had ended at the bar at 568 Front St. in East Bethlehem Township, but that several commissioners, including Battaglini, remained there.

Battaglini went alone to the restroom about 11:13 p.m. and was followed there two minutes later by Lingis, police allege in the affidavit supporting the criminal charges in the case.

Police said a brief argument took place in the restroom, “which in turn led to a physical confrontation,” police stated in the record. No one else was inside the restroom at the time.

Lingis is accused of striking Battaglini, causing him to fall on a toilet, breaking it into several pieces, the record indicates.

Bar patrons heard loud noises coming from the restroom, and one of them went there to investigate. The patron found Battaglini unconscious across the broken toilet, with Lingis standing over him, police allege in the affidavit.

Battaglini was taken to Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, where he was diagnosed with having a brain bleed as a result of the assault, police said.

He also told state police he had no memory of what happened after he walked into the restroom.

Battaglini said Friday he didn’t believe he had an argument with the suspect.

“I don’t even remember Lingis walking into the restroom,” he said.

Battaglini said he plans to testify at Lingis’ preliminary hearing, which is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. March 20 before District Judge Curtis Thompson, online court records indicate.

Lingis is free on $20,000 unsecured bond set Wednesday by Thompson. An attorney has not yet entered an appearance on his behalf.