HIGHLAND TWP., Pa. (EYT) — A Clarion man allegedly strangling his wife to the point of unconsciousness following a domestic dispute that occurred last Friday evening at his residence on Miola Road.
According to court documents, Clarion-based State Police on Friday, April 15, filed criminal charges against 50-year-old Michael Allan Lavan in Magisterial District Judge Timothy P. Schill’s office.
The charges stem from a domestic dispute that occurred at a residence located on Miola Road, in Highland Township, Clarion County.
According to a criminal complaint, Clarion-based State Police were dispatched to a residence at the above-described location on Friday, April 15, around 6:32 p.m., for a report that Michael Lavan had strangled his wife, and she was reportedly unconscious at the scene.
Upon arrival, troopers placed Lavan in handcuffs in his driveway. One of the troopers went into the residence and could not find the victim. When asked where the victim was located, Lavan informed the troopers that she was in her vehicle parked in the driveway, the complaint states.
Police located the victim in the driver’s seat of her parked car and noticed blood and foam coming out of her mouth. EMS arrived on the scene, removed the victim from her vehicle, and provided immediate care before transporting her to Clarion Hospital, according to the complaint.
Lavan was then transported to the Clarion-based State Police station to be interviewed, the complaint indicates.
According to the complaint, Lavan related that he and his wife were not living together, and she came to his residence to exchange the winter tires for summer tires on her vehicle, as he was going to do that for her.
Lavan told police that he received a letter in the mail from the victim’s attorney, and he “snapped and grabbed her.” When he realized what he did, he called 9-1-1 and waited for police to arrive, the complaint indicates.
According to the complaint, the victim was interviewed at Clarion Hospital, and she told police that when she was at Lavan’s house on April 15, she became uncomfortable and wanted to leave. She went to her vehicle, put her seat belt on, and started the engine. She related the door was open and Lavan was still standing there while she was backing up. Lavan asked her, “What are you going to do? Run me over now?”
Lavan then reportedly grabbed the victim by the neck with one hand. The victim related at one point, she felt the seat belt go up against her neck, and she started fighting back by scratching, punching, and beeping the horn. The next thing she remembered was emergency medical personnel standing in front of her, according to the complaint.
Examination of the victim at Clarion Hospital showed nedness around her neck, stippling about the eyes, and scratches about her face, which was consistent with the strangulation and the statements by Lavan and the victim, the complaint notes.
Lavan was arraigned at 11:00 p.m. on Friday, April 15, in front of Judge Schill on the following charges:
– Aggravated Assault — Attempts to cause serious bodily injury or causes injury with extreme indifference, Felony 1
– Strangulation — Applying pressure to throat or neck, Felony 2
– Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 2
– Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Misdemeanor 2
– Harassment — Subject Other to Physical Contact, Summary
He is currently free on $1,000.00 cash security that was posted by a private surety.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 26 at 10:00 a.m. in Clarion County Central Court.
