A 37-year-old Butler City man is wanted by police after allegedly strangling and locking in a woman who showed up at his Fourth Street home hoping to convince him to seek addiction treatment. Travis Zaborowski fled the scene on an e-bike Saturday night, and a warrant has since been issued for his arrest.
According to ButlerRadio.com, the incident happened just after 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the 200 block of Fourth Street. Charging documents state the victim went to Zaborowski's home to get him to go to rehab, and that he allegedly assaulted her, injured her finger, and strangled her before locking her in a bedroom and preventing her from leaving.
The victim told police that Zaborowski fled the scene on an e-bike, the outlet reported. He now faces charges of strangulation, simple assault, and false imprisonment, with a warrant issued for his arrest.
What the Strangulation Charge Actually Requires
The strangulation charge carries the heaviest potential consequences of the three. Under Pennsylvania law, strangulation against a family or household member is elevated from a misdemeanor to a second-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, according to Margetas Legal LLC. The offense became a standalone crime in Pennsylvania in 2016 under Act 111.
Under Pennsylvania law, strangulation requires a knowing or intentional impediment of breathing or blood circulation, caused by pressure to the throat or neck or by blocking the nose and mouth. That legal standard reflects a broader medical understanding that internal choking injuries can be serious even without outward signs.
Zaborowski also faces a simple assault charge. The false imprisonment charge stems specifically from the allegation that he locked the victim inside a bedroom; under 18 Pa.C.S. § 2903, that offense applies when someone knowingly restrains another person in a way that substantially interferes with their liberty.
A County Unit Built for Cases Like This One
Once Zaborowski is taken into custody, the case will move through a part of the county's justice system built specifically for domestic violence cases. Butler County maintains a dedicated Domestic Violence Unit within its District Attorney's Office to coordinate with law enforcement agencies and victims, according to the Butler County government.
Survivors of domestic violence in the county also have access to the Victim Outreach Intervention Center, known as VOICe, which provides emergency shelter, legal advocacy, and a 24-hour crisis line, the Butler Eagle reports. Its emergency shelter, legal advocacy, and crisis line offer support to victims in the aftermath of abuse.
A Visit Intended to Encourage Rehab
Charging documents state that the woman went to Zaborowski's home hoping to convince him to seek addiction treatment.
A warrant has been issued for Zaborowski's arrest.
