A 29-year-old Butler man is sitting in the Butler County Prison after police say they found red marks on a woman's neck and throat following a domestic incident on Liberty Street. Shaun Hess now faces charges of strangulation and simple assault, with bail set at $25,000.
Police were called to the 300 block of Liberty Street on Tuesday for a physical domestic incident, according to ButlerRadio.com. Charging documents say Hess and the victim got into a verbal argument before it's alleged that he strangled her.
Officers who responded identified red marks on the victim's neck and throat, the outlet reported. Hess, for his part, claimed the incident was only a verbal argument and refused to speak any further with police once they arrived.
Bail Set at $25,000 Ahead of November Hearing
Hess was charged with strangulation and simple assault following the investigation, and bail was set at $25,000. He was placed in the Butler County Prison after the alleged strangling, per the same account, and a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for November 9.
Under Pennsylvania law, strangulation is codified in Title 18, Chapter 27 of the state's criminal code as Section 2718, while simple assault is generally graded as a second-degree misdemeanor under the same chapter. The allegations against Hess have not been proven in court, and the outcome of next month's preliminary hearing was not available at the time of reporting.
