Assault charges lodged in district courts against multiple people for separate instances

Three charged in separate domestic disturbances

On the morning of April 2, Ryan Brandon received a call from his ex-girlfriend, who said she was having problems with her car on East Penn Street in Muncy Creek Township and could he help her, according to a state police affidavit. Brandon responded to the scene and offered the woman a ride to work, but once she got in his 2005 Mercedes-Benz, Brandon turned violent and began to argue "about their past relationship," it was alleged in the court document. During the argument, Brandon, 46, of 3478 Route 220, Hughesville, drove in an erratic manner, punching the woman "multiple times" and "grabbing her by the collar of her sweatshirt, pulling her back into the vehicle" when she attempted to jump out of the car, it was alleged in the affidavit. Brandon told the woman he would kill her if she called police, and said he would "run the car off the bridge" or crash it into a tree in an attempt to kill both of them, the affidavit stated.

Brandon finally agreed to drop the woman off at work and, once she was there, she called 911, police said. Brandon was arrested and arraigned before District Judge Kirsten Gardner on charges of terroristic threats, false imprisonment, unlawful restraint, simple assault and harassment. Initially jailed, Brandon, who was held for court on all charges last week, is free on $50,000 bail.

In another case, after grabbing his girlfriend by the neck and pushing her onto a bed, Christopher Wayne Barto told the woman he would "bury her with his backhoe" during a disturbance at Barto's home at 565 Grant Barto Road in Penn Township early Saturday morning, state police alleged in an affidavit. Following his arraignment hours later before District Judge Gary Whiteman on charges of terroristic threats and harassment, Barto, 48, was released on $10,000 bail.

In another case, when state troopers arrived at Ralph Edward Lunger's home at 245 Katzmaier Road in Eldred Township about 10 p.m. on April 6, they interviewed a woman who had locked herself in a bathroom after Lunger "punched her twice in the face," causing a small laceration above her left eye, it was alleged in an affidavit. Charged with simple assault and harassment, Luger, 61, has waived his preliminary hearing before Whiteman and is free on $25,000 bail.

Assault on hotel employees results in charges in two separate cases

Richard Thomas Fox, 55, of 2736 Lincoln Drive, was jailed early Sunday morning after brandishing a knife with a 7-inch blade at a female employee during a disturbance on the third floor at the Comfort Inn, 1939 E. Third St., state police alleged in an affidavit. The employee went to the third floor after numerous guests "came to the front desk" to report that a man, later identified as Fox, was causing a problem on that floor, the affidavit stated. When the employee confronted Fox, he "removed a knife from a sheath he had affixed to his belt and threw it on a couch. He then picked it back up and raised it above the employee's head as if he was about to stab the employee, who was just three feet away," the court document stated.

Fox, who police said was in a "highly intoxicated state," put down the knife and grabbed the employee by her right arm and pulled on it before letting her go, the affidavit stated. He then allegedly placed his hand on the woman's neck "for a brief period of time," police alleged. The employee managed to break free and call 911. Fox was taken into custody and arraigned two hours later before Whiteman on charges of simple assault, possession of a weapon, disorderly conduct and harassment. He was committed to the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $10,000 bail.

In another case, while in a highly intoxicated state, Kyle Laverne Buttorff, who was believed to be a guest at the Hampton Inn on Liberty Lane in Loyalsock Township, became unruly and "verbally combative," pushing a hotel employee down a set of steps during a disturbance about 7:20 p.m on Feb. 17, state police alleged in an affidavit. The assault occurred after the employee confronted Buttorff, 34, of 2010 Newberry St., for "yelling and banging on doors on the fourth floor," the affidavit said.

When officers arrived on the scene, Buttorff was in a first-floor hallway "and it appeared he was knocking on a door," police said, adding that it looked like he had "urinated himself," the affidavit stated. He was holding an employee's radio, and when he was asked how he got it, Buttorff replied it "just appeared," police said. "Buttorff said he did not remember anything and that he was trying to find his room," the court document stated. In the assault, the employee "received a scrape to his right knee," leaving a bloodstain on his pants. He also suffered back pain, police said. The employee said he dropped his radio during the scuffle with Buttorff, who waived his preliminary hearing Monday before Whiteman and was released on $5,000 bail. He will face further court action on charges of simple assault, disorderly conduct, public drunkenness and harassment.