Authorities charged a 36-year-old Butler man today after a woman with visible neck injuries walked into Butler Memorial Hospital and reported she had been assaulted and strangled. The man is being held on an $80,000 bond and is due back in court this month.
What happened
Officers were called to Butler Memorial Hospital on Sunday after the woman sought treatment, according to ButlerRadio. The outlet reports the victim told police that 36-year-old Donald Grantz Jr. slammed her to the ground twice and then strangled her, and that red marks and red handprints were visible on her neck.
Charges and court date
ButlerRadio reports that Grantz has been charged with aggravated assault and strangulation and placed in the Butler County Prison on $80,000 bond. The outlet adds that a preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 16.
How Pennsylvania law treats strangulation
Under state law, strangulation is a standalone offense defined as knowingly or intentionally impeding another person's breathing or circulation by applying pressure to the throat or by blocking the nose and mouth. The statute (18 Pa.C.S. § 2718) can be charged as a misdemeanor or elevated to a felony in certain circumstances, and it does not require visible injury for prosecutors to move forward, according to FindLaw.
Local pattern
Local reporting has noted multiple recent arrests in Butler County that included strangulation allegations and substantial bonds. For example, the Butler Eagle reported in December 2025 that a separate defendant was being held on an $80,000 bail after a strangulation arrest.
The case remains in the early stages, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. We will update the story as court filings or official statements become available.
