Crime & Public Safety.
A West Virginia man is charged with felony strangulation, and two misdemeanor counts of simple assault for allegedly attacking a Doylestown Township resident with a cell phone and putting them in a chokehold, when the victim told him he should not mow the lawn drunk.
On June 21, at 1:30 p.m., Doylestown Township Police investigated a report of a fight on the 100 block of Cherry Lane. Upon arrival, the victim told police there was a misunderstanding and nothing occurred, according to the affidavit. However, the victim’s neck was red, police said.
Another resident confirmed they were unaware of anything that occurred, and then Zachary Aiden Allen, 34, of the 100 block of Tollerton Trail, Falling Waters, WV, appeared, visibly intoxicated, and said nothing occurred, police said.
Allen told police he arrived the night prior from West Virginia and was leaving to go back home at that moment, according to the affidavit. Officers allowed Allen to get into the rear seat of his girlfriend’s car, and they left the scene, police said.
Then, a half hour later, police were called back to the home, for a report of a man with a laceration on his forehead and blood on his clothing, according to the criminal complaint. Upon arrival, police found a bloodied Allen, who said he got in a fight with another man, per the affidavit.
The alleged assailant of Allen told police he was responding to check on the victim and stopped Allen’s girlfriend’s car, police said. As the man approached the car to talk to Allen, police allege Allen opened the rear driver side door and punched the man in the mouth and kicked him in the right leg and elbow.
The man suffered visible redness to his lip and an abrasion on his right elbow, police said. The man admitted to punching Allen in self-defense, per the complaint.
Police said an investigation found that Allen was told not to cut the grass while intoxicated, to which an argument ensued, and he hit the victim in the chin with a cell phone. Then, Allen allegedly kicked the victim’s knee and came up behind her with a chokehold.
After treatment of his laceration at Grand View Hospital, Allen was taken into custody on the charges.
He posted 10% of $50,000 cash bail on June 23 and has a preliminary hearing set for Aug. 18 at 2 p.m. before Magisterial District Judge Mark D. Douple. Allen is represented by Langhorne attorney Caterina Gatto Saile.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
