Jury convicts assault suspect

Upper Pottsgrove man found guilty in 2017 strangling of ex-girlfriend

NORRISTOWN » An Upper Pottsgrove man is behind bars awaiting his fate from a judge after a jury convicted him of breaking into his estranged girlfriend’s Royersford apartment and assaulting and strangling her during a domestic disturbance.

Joshua Troy Porter, 28, of the 100 block of Hanover Drive, was convicted in Montgomery County Court of charges of burglary, simple assault, unlawful restraint, strangulation, recklessly endangering another person and criminal trespass in connection with the May 2017 incident in Royersford.

The jury convicted Porter of the charges after hearing testimony at a two-day trial before Judge Wendy G. Rothstein. The judge immediately revoked Porter’s bail and ordered that he be held at the county jail while awaiting his sentencing hearing later this year.

The judge ordered that Porter undergo drug, alcohol and mental health evaluations prior to sentencing.

The jury acquitted Porter of a single charge of aggravated assault.

Porter faces a possible maximum sentence of 29 ½ to 59 years in prison on the charges. However, state sentencing guidelines could allow for a lesser sentence.

An investigation began about

11:52 p.m. May 14, 2017, when the victim appeared on the parking lot of the Royersford police station to report she was assaulted by her “soon to be ex-boyfriend” inside her apartment in the 200 block of Main Street, according to

the criminal complaint.

“The victim ran to the police station parking lot covered in blood and displaying visible injuries to her head and knees,” Royersford Police Officer John O’Keefe alleged in the arrest affidavit.

The victim reported that she was asleep when she awoke to the sound of breaking glass. When the victim went to her living

room she encountered Porter who had climbed a fire escape and smashed a window in order to gain entry to the apartment, police alleged.

“The defendant began a verbal argument about their relationship and eventually took possession of a 4-inch paring knife from the kitchen,” O’Keefe alleged, adding Porter stated he was going

to kill himself as he slashed his left forearm, “causing a significant amount of blood loss.”

The woman was able to take possession of the knife and as she ran from the apartment, Porter pushed her down the stairs, police alleged. The woman struck her head on a baseboard and suffered a laceration to her forehead that required sutures, according

to the criminal complaint.

As the woman fled outside to an alleyway, Porter grabbed her from behind, placed her in a headlock and then placed his hand across her mouth and nose, according to the arrest affidavit. Porter then pushed the woman to the ground.

“The defendant, with his hand still across her mouth and nose, placed

his other hand across her throat,” O’Keefe alleged. “The defendant placed pressure to her throat, causing the victim to start losing consciousness.”

Porter eventually released his grip and fled from the area. The victim then ran to the police station for help.

Court documents do not indicate when Porter was taken into custody.