A 31-year-old homeless man is facing six criminal charges after police say he forced his way into an apartment on East Germania Street, threatened the mother of his child with a knife and struck her, then led officers on a foot chase before his arrest Thursday.
Police were dispatched to 10 E. Germania St. around 9:50 a.m. Thursday after a report of a break-in, according to The Citizens' Voice. The outlet identifies the suspect as D'Marte Marquese Clements, while The Times Leader spells his first name D'Marie Marquese Clements, a discrepancy between the two outlets' reporting that remains unresolved. According to the criminal complaint, Clements entered the apartment uninvited and confronted the woman, who is the mother of his child.
Police Allege Knife Threat and Assault
Police allege Clements struck the woman in the head and threatened to stab her with a knife, as reported by the Times Leader. Per the Citizens' Voice, police further allege that Clements told the woman he was “trying so hard” not to stab her with the knife during the confrontation.
When officers arrived, they found Clements leaving the apartment, according to police. Police allege he then ran off and led them on a foot chase through the township, and that officers tried unsuccessfully to use a Taser on him as he fled.
Struggle Ends With Arrest at Germania and Hazle
Police caught up with Clements at the intersection of East Germania and Hazle streets, where, per the complaint, he continued struggling as officers attempted to handcuff him. He now faces six charges: burglary, criminal trespassing, making terroristic threats, simple assault, evading arrest on foot and harassment, per the same account.
Under Pennsylvania's criminal code, simple assault covers attempting to cause or intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causing bodily injury to another, as well as attempting by physical menace to put someone in fear of imminent serious bodily injury, according to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The offense is generally graded as a second-degree misdemeanor, with listed exceptions, per the same statute. Harassment, meanwhile, covers striking, shoving, kicking or otherwise subjecting a person to physical contact — or attempting or threatening to do so — with intent to harass, annoy or alarm, and is generally graded as a summary offense, the statute states.
Bail Set at $100,000 Ahead of November Hearing
Magisterial District Judge Kyle Halesey arraigned Clements on the charges Thursday afternoon and set his bail at $100,000, the Citizens' Voice reported. Clements was reported held at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 18. The charges against him remain allegations at this stage, and no outcome of that hearing has been reported.
