Three men arrested in separate domestic assaults

Upon investigating a domestic disturbance in Lewis Township on the afternoon of Feb. 28, state troopers saw that the female victim was “covered in mud with thorns stuck in her clothing,” and there were “fresh bruises on her left hand knuckles,” it was stated in an affidavit. The woman said she had “to run through the woods” to get away from Robert Diton Brown out of “fear that he was going to hurt her” while the two argued in his home at 8998 Lycoming Creek Road, the court document stated. The troopers noted that the victim’s left big toe was bandaged. She told police that her fractured toe and the bruises on her hand were from a domestic disturbance with the 37-year-old Brown that took place on Feb. 25, but she did not report it when it happened for fear that Brown would retaliate. It was alleged Brown “smashed” her cellphone the night before, police said. Arraigned before District Judge William Solomon on charges of simple assault, criminal mischief and harassment, Brown was initially jailed, but has since been released on $25,000 bail after waiving his preliminary hearing.

In another domestic disturbance, after grabbing the woman and slamming her on top of a bed, Seneca Martin Mitchell Sr. “got on top of her and with both hands, squeezed her neck, impeding her breathing, causing her vision to go black,” state police alleged in an affidavit. This alleged assault occurred at the woman’s Northway Road Extension home in Loyalsock Township back on Sept. 22, but it was not reported to law enforcement until last month, according to an affidavit. In the same interview with police, the victim reported that on Oct. 30, Mitchell, 43, of 93 Round Hill Road, pulled her down, resulting in her striking her neck and head on a set of stairs and again “did strangle and assault her,” it was alleged.

Mitchell was recently held for count on charges of felony strangulation, simple assault, disorderly conduct and harassment following a preliminary hearing before Solomon and he remains in the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $35,000 bail in this case. Mitchell will also face further court action on state police felony charges of burglary and trespassing for allegedly forcing his way into the same woman’s home on Jan. 13, demanding to know the whereabouts of his dead cat, police alleged in yet another affidavit. Mitchell fled the property after the woman told him that the feline had been buried in the yard. Bail set in this case was $25,000 bail.

In a third case, following a preliminary hearing before District Judge Aaron Biichle, Cody Davis Johnson was held for court on city police charges of simple assault, criminal mischief and harassment that stem from a domestic disturbance in the 500 block of Brandon Place on Feb.. 12 that left a woman “bleeding from her nose and lips” as well as “redness on her face and slight discoloration on her cheeks,” it was alleged in an affidavit. Johnson, 40, of 1416 Bloomingrove Road, remained locked up in the county prison in lieu of $15,000 bail.

Jersey Shore area man arrested on his third shoplifting offenses

Randy Lee Myers, 67, of 479 Old Route 220, apartment 5, Jersey Shore, has been charged by Lycoming Regional police with two felony counts of shoplifting for stealing merchandise from the Weis Market on Allegheny Street in Jersey Shore on Feb. 25 and again on Feb. 28, it was alleged in an affidavit. The value of the merchandise was estimated at $153, police said.

This was Myers’ third shoplifting offense, police said. Following his arraignment before Biichle, Myers was initially jailed, but has since been released on $15,000 bail.

Jersey Shore man allegedly headbutts police cruiser

While being detained by Lycoming Regional police outside his Jersey Shore home on Dec. 20, Ryan Andrew Bennett suddenly headbutted the passenger side of the officer’s cruiser twice, causing a dent that cost an estimated $1,000 to repair, it was alleged in an affidavit.

Bennett 28, of 433 S. Main St., was detained while police were investigating his alleged involvement in a domestic disturbance.

Charged with one misdemeanor offense of criminal mischief, Bennett, has waived his preliminary hearing before District Judge Denise Dieter and is free on $15,000 bail.

Misdemeanor charge filed after subpoenaed witness failed to show for trial

Although a subpoena was delivered to her on Sept. 9 for the upcoming homicide trial of Dawud Rogers in Lycoming County court, Britney Marie Taylor, whose last known address was of the 400 block of Cemetery Street, failed to appear for the trial and has now been charged with absconding witness, a misdemeanor, according to court records filed at the office of District Judge Aaron Biichle. Taylor, 36,was recently held for court on the charge and remains free on $15,000 bail.

Although Rogers’ three-day trial in late October ended with a mistrial, he remains incarcerated in the Lycoming County Prison as the District Attorney’s Office plans to retry him at a later date on charges in connection with the shooting death of 31-year-old William Michael Blackwell on Arch Street in the city’s Newberry neighborhood in the middle of the afternoon on Dec. 30. 2016.