CLARION CO., Pa. (EYT) – A hearing for a Knox man who allegedly fired a rifle at a woman and threatened to burn a house down has been continued.

Court documents indicate a preliminary hearing for 55-year-old Henry Francis Burkhart III has been continued until April 7, at 8:30 a.m. in Clarion County Central Court.

He faces the following charges:

– Terroristic Threats With Intent To Terrorize Another, Misdemeanor 1
– Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 2
– Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Misdemeanor 2
– Harassment — Subject Other to Physical Contact, Summary

The hearing has been continued three times: November 26, January 14, and the most recent date of April 7.

Burkhart is currently free on $25,000.00 monetary bail.

The charges stem from a series of incidents that occurred in November in Beaver Township, Clarion County.

Details of the case:

According to a criminal complaint, around 4:55 a.m. on Sunday, November 17, a known female victim arrived at the Clarion-based State Police barracks to report an ongoing domestic altercation that had lasted several days.

According to the complaint, the victim reported that on Friday, November 15, she had accidentally sent a text to Henry Francis Burkhart III that was meant for her daughter. She said Burkhart was sleeping when she arrived home, but when he woke up, he came into the room she was in and started yelling and throwing things, and then “got in her face” and asked if she wrote the text.

The woman told police Burkhart said “I told you not to f*** with me!” and began breaking lamps, pulling blinds off of the windows, and telling her she should leave. She said she agreed to leave, but every time she tried to pack, he would try to keep her from packing, or tell her she wasn’t packing quickly enough.

The complaint notes the victim related that she was sitting on the steps, and Burkhart tried to tear the banister off and then kicked her in the head. She reported she told him “Quit hitting me,” and went down into the kitchen, and Burkhart then came down holding a .22 rifle and began pointing it at her. The victim said Burkhart then asked her if she thought she “deserved” to stay there.

According to the complaint, the victim ducked down behind the island in the kitchen, which was between her and Burkhart, and yelled “My God, Henry, in the name of Jesus, stop!” to which Burkhart allegedly replied “Jesus? Jesus? Don’t say that word in my house!” and shot a hole in the wall above the window behind where she was hiding. Burkhart then took the gun back upstairs.

The victim went on to report that Burkhart then came back downstairs and removed glassware from the cupboard and began throwing the items on the floor and sliding them across the island onto the floor. She said the harassment about leaving and not letting her leave continued until about 1:00 a.m., and noted that during the confrontation, Burkhart kept saying that he was going to burn the house down and “there would be nothing left but ashes.”

The complaint notes the victim stated that on Saturday she got the mail and laid a large bill out on the counter, and Burkhart then found the bill and began crying, then grabbed the bowl she was using and threw it across the kitchen. She said he then “destroyed” the kitchen and told her to leave because he “was going to burn the house down.”

The victim further related that on Sunday, around 3:00 a.m., Burkhart came into the room where she was sleeping and ripped the blanket off of her, then grabbed a piece of glass and held it up, making her afraid he was going to try to cut her. He then allegedly kicked her legs and began telling her to leave again, but then she started packing her clothes, he shoved her, and she fell back into the shelves, the complaint states.

According to the complaint, the victim said she was eventually able to get clothing and take her things to her car. However, she reported that while she was in the garage, Burkhart grabbed something from a drawer and put it behind his back. She noted she believed it was a gun and was frightened. She then got into her vehicle and went to the State Police barracks.

Burkhart was arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Amy Long Turk at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 17.