A 41-year-old Evans City man is facing strangulation and terroristic threats charges after allegedly attacking his stepdaughter during a Halloween night altercation at a home in Jackson Township. Phillip Vignoli is accused of strangling the teenager and threatening to break her windpipe after she stepped in to break up a fight between him and her mother.
According to ButlerRadio.com, the incident happened in the 300 block of Hartman Road on Halloween night. The outlet reports that the victim allegedly heard her stepfather and mother get into a physical altercation and went to intervene, at which point Vignoli allegedly strangled her and threatened to break her windpipe.
Bruising Reported the Next Day
The victim did not report the incident immediately. Per the same account, she came forward the following day, and when officers spoke with her, they observed bruising consistent with her allegations.
Vignoli was subsequently charged with strangulation, terroristic threats, and simple assault, the station's report states. He was placed in Butler County Prison following the accusation before posting $30,000 bail. A preliminary hearing in the case has been scheduled for November 25.
What Pennsylvania Law Says About Strangulation Charges
Under Pennsylvania's criminal code, strangulation is defined 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 18 Pa.C.S. § 2718. Notably, the statute specifies that infliction of a physical injury is not required to prove the offense occurred. The law also outlines a second-degree felony classification when strangulation is committed against a family or household member, though it is not established whether that provision applies in Vignoli's case.
Part of a String of Recent Strangulation Cases in Butler County
Vignoli's arrest comes amid a string of similar strangulation cases reported across Butler County in recent months. Just days earlier, a Butler man, 29-year-old Shaun Hess, was accused of strangling a woman during a domestic incident in the city of Butler, with police called to the 300 block of Liberty Street for a physical domestic dispute. Hess was charged with strangulation and simple assault, with bail set at $25,000 and a preliminary hearing scheduled for November 9.
Earlier this year, in February, 48-year-old Joseph Birsa was accused of strangling a victim at a Cranberry Township home. He was charged with strangulation, simple assault, and harassment, and was held in Butler County Prison on $25,000 bond before his preliminary hearing.
