PSP: North Bower man pulled homeless man off woman screaming ‘get off me,’ hits him with bat, faces charges
SHENANDOAH – A North Bower Street man, awoken by a woman screaming “get off me” downstairs, is facing felony assault charges in relation to his assistance of that woman, according to court documents.
Franklin Sterner, 37, of 116 North Bower Street, is facing felony aggravated assault, misdemeanor reckless endangerment and simple assault, and summary harassment charges for the incident.
According to the criminal complaint filed Monday, Trooper Andrew Moyer said State Police were called to Sterner’s home around 10:30am Saturday for a reported assault.
By the time troopers arrived, the victim, Juan Rivas, 30, was being taken to Geisinger St. Luke’s Hospital near Orwigsburg for treatment of his injuries.
Troopers said that Rivas and Sterner had engaged in a physical altercation and Sterner was promptly taken into custody.
Moyer said that Sterner admitted that he, Rivas, and Angelina Velousky had been using methamphetamine and fentanyl Friday night at Sterner’s residence. Rivas, troopers said, was homeless and stayed at Sterner’s the prior two nights.
Early Saturday, Sterner went to sleep in a third floor bedroom, Rivas left, and Velousky went to bed in a second floor bedroom.
In the morning, Moyer said Sterner told police that he was awoken by Velousky yelling “Get off me,” and when he went downstairs to check what was happening, he saw Rivas atop Velousky.
Sterner pulled Rivas off Velousky and a fight ensued, in which they exchanged closed-fist punches. Sterner then grabbed a wooden baseball bat and landed two strikes on Rivas’ head, at which point Rivas left the home to seek aid for his injuries.
Rivas suffered injuries to his head requiring staples, while Sterner suffered minor injuries to his head and hands.
Sterner was arraigned by on-call Magisterial District Judge Edward Tarantelli and committed to Schuylkill County Prison, unable to post $10,000 cash bail.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 18 in Magisterial District Judge Anthony Kilker’s Shenandoah courtroom.
No charges have been filed against Rivas.
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