During a heated argument in a vehicle with his girlfriend in Brandon Park about 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 16, Essex Taylor “grabbed her throat with both hands, applying enough pressure to leave her gasping for air and causing her to lose consciousness” for an undisclosed amount of time, a city police officer alleged in an affidavit. When she came to, the woman “was able to fight Taylor off so that she was able to get out of the vehicle and try to flee. However, the 20-year-old Taylor grabbed her near the rear of the car and punched her in the mouth, leaving her with a swollen and bleeding lip, and knocking her to the ground,” it was alleged in the court document..

The Lock Haven man “grabbed a hold of the victim by the back of her neck and right shoulder, telling her ‘You’re going to get in this (expletive) car’ as he threw her into the back seat,” the officer said the woman told him. However, she managed to get out by opening another door and run for help, police said. The officers interviewed her at UPMC Williamsport, where she was treated in the emergency room for her injuries. Taylor, who has been charged with simple assault, has since waived his preliminary hearing before District Judge Aaron Biichle and is free on $50,000 bail.

In another domestic disturbance, Jesse Michael Smith and a woman got into an argument in their Clinton Township home at 83 School House Road about 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 26, state police said. When Smith, 32, began to walk away, the woman pushed him, police alleged in an affidavit. “Smith then turned around and hit the woman in the face with an open hand, causing a laceration and bleeding to her lip,” it was alleged in the court document. Smith then walked away as the victim fell to the floor, police said. Charged with simple assault and harassment, Smith was arraigned hours later before Biichle and initially jailed in the Lycoming County Prison, but has since been released on $25,000 bail.