A 43-year-old man is facing rape, sexual assault and strangulation charges after police say he beat, choked and raped a woman during an hours-long ordeal in Southwest Greensburg last weekend. Michael Matthew Snyder was arrested Sept. 30 and has since posted $10,000 bail, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for Wednesday.
According to court papers cited by TribLive, the woman reported that Snyder attacked her on Sept. 27. Police allege Snyder beat, choked and raped the woman, according to Audacy, which reported that “police say 43-year-old Matthew Snyder beat, choked and raped the woman last weekend.”
The woman told officers that Snyder held her for several hours and withheld her cellphone, keys and wallet, per the same report. Those details, along with the allegations of beating and choking, formed the basis for the charges filed against Snyder by Southwest Greensburg police following his Sept. 30 arrest.
Charges Include Strangulation, Which Carries No Injury Requirement
Snyder is charged with rape, sexual assault, strangulation and additional offenses, the station's report notes. Court records list a Clairton address for Snyder, TribLive reported.
Pennsylvania law defines strangulation as knowingly or intentionally impeding another person's breathing or blood circulation by applying pressure to the throat or neck or by blocking the nose and mouth, according to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The statute does not require proof of physical injury to the victim, and the absence of injury is not a defense under the law.
The offense is generally graded as a second-degree misdemeanor, but state law allows it to be charged as a second-degree felony under specified circumstances, including when it is committed alongside sexual violence, according to the same statute.
Hearing Set for Wednesday in Westmoreland County
Snyder posted $10,000 bail after his arrest, and his preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 7 in Westmoreland County. Snyder's attorney could not immediately be reached for comment, per the Audacy report.
