Cops: Man savagely beat, choked girlfriend

Gregory Straub, 62, faces aggravated assault, related charges for alleged domestic attack in Towamencin

A 62-yearold Hatfield Township man is facing a half-dozen criminal counts, including aggravated assault, for allegedly beating, choking and threatening to kill his girlfriend during a domestic incident in Towamencin, according to police.

Gregory George Straub, of the 500 block of Grapevine Drive, was arrested Oct. 4 and arraigned on one count of felony aggravated assault, two counts of misdemeanor simple assault, one count each of misdemeanor terroristic threats and recklessly endangering another person, and one count of summary harassment.

Towamencin police alleged in an affidavit of probable cause that officers were dispatched to Straub’s girlfriend’s residence shortly before 3 a.m. on Sunday morning and met with the woman, who had fresh cuts and bruising to her head, neck, back, chin, lips and cheeks and said that Straub had just assaulted her and then fled on foot toward his Hatfield residence about 15 minutes before she called 911.

Police observed blood on the bottom steps near the doorway of the residence, and due to the extent of the woman’s inju-

ries, officers called EMS to the scene while other cops searched the immediate area for Straub, but were unsuccessful in locating him, according to the affidavit.

The woman stated that earlier in the night, she and Straub had been at Straub’s high school reunion at a local bar, and soon after arriving back at her home at 1 a.m., the affidavit indicates, Straub became angry at her “for no reason” and they started yelling at each other.

At that point, the woman told police, Straub threw the woman against a dresser and started punching her in the face, so she bit and scratched Straub to get him to stop, but he grew even more incensed at her efforts to fight back and threw her to the ground and choked her until she passed out, according to the affidavit.

Once she regained consciousness, the woman said, Straub dragged her and threw her down some stairs, then walked out of the home while leaving her at the bottom of the stairs, according to the affidavit.

Court documents state that the woman told police that during the assault, Straub told her, “I want to (expletive) kill you.”

Police said they also observed blood splattered in the bedroom where the alleged assault began, as well as in the living room.

Straub was apprehended a short time later and arraigned Sunday afternoon before District Judge Margaret Hunsicker, who set bail at $10,000 cash.

Records show Straub posted bond the same day, and is currently free while awaiting an Oct. 29 preliminary hearing before Lansdale District Judge Harold Borek.