A 60-year-old Evans City man is facing strangulation and simple assault charges after police say an argument over politics turned violent at a home in the 700 block of Jefferson Street. Tracy Voss is accused of strangling the victim after allegedly accusing them of being a Democrat, a claim he reportedly admitted to making while denying he ever put his hands on anyone.
Argument Over Politics Preceded the Alleged Attack
According to Butler Radio, the victim told police the dispute began as a verbal argument before escalating. The victim said Voss accused them of being a Democrat, and charging documents go on to allege that Voss strangled the victim as the confrontation intensified.
Voss, for his part, gave police a different account of what happened. The station's report says he admitted to making the comment accusing the victim of being a Democrat but denied physically assaulting the victim, leaving investigators with conflicting versions of how far the confrontation actually went.
Bail Set at $30,000, Hearing Set for November 18
Voss was charged with strangulation and simple assault and was placed in Butler County Prison, per the same account. His bail was set at $30,000, and a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for November 18.
Pennsylvania law defines strangulation as knowingly or intentionally impeding another person's breathing or blood circulation, including by applying pressure to the throat or neck or by blocking the nose and mouth, according to Pennsylvania General Assembly statute 18 Pa.C.S. § 2718. That same statute specifies that a lack of physical injury to a victim is not a defense to the charge, and that strangulation is graded as a second-degree felony when committed against a family or household member — though the available evidence does not establish how the charge against Voss is graded. Separately, Pennsylvania law generally classifies simple assault as a second-degree misdemeanor unless a statutory exception applies, per Pennsylvania General Assembly statute 18 Pa.C.S. § 2701.
Second Strangulation Case Surfaces Nearby Days Earlier
The Voss case follows another recent strangulation allegation involving an Evans City man. In a separate report, Phillip Vignoli was accused of strangling and threatening his stepdaughter on Halloween night in Jackson Township, in an incident that happened on the 300 block of Hartman Road, according to wbut.com. Vignoli was charged with strangulation, terroristic threats, and simple assault, and the outlet reported he posted the same $30,000 bail amount set in the Voss case, with his preliminary hearing scheduled for November 25.
No police statement, charging document, or other primary case record beyond Butler Radio's reporting has been made available to independently verify the allegations against Voss, including the exact date of the incident or further detail on the victim's account. It also remains unclear whether the case will proceed to trial or how the preliminary hearing will resolve.
