BROOKVILLE BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) – Assault and related charges have been filed against two Brookville residents who were involved in a domestic incident.
Court documents indicate the Brookville Borough Police Department filed criminal charges against 51-year-old Daniel Bennett Guth and 40-year-old Stella Nichole Massengale.
According to a criminal complaint, around 9:30 p.m. on January 3, Brookville Borough Police were dispatched to a residence on Mason Street for a report of a possible domestic incident.
The complaint indicates police did not observe any signs of an ongoing domestic incident from outside the residence and then knocked on the door. The individual who answered told police he lives alone and explained the call may have referred to the tenants in the apartment below him.
Police then made several attempts to knock and announce themselves at the apartment, in which the complaint notes had plastic sheets over the windows, making it impossible for police to see inside. However, after about 15 minutes, police were able to hear a man yelling inside the apartment, and announced themselves again, noting they could hear voices from inside and telling those inside to come to the door. Police were then able to make out the figure of a female coming from a back bedroom into the kitchen and approaching the door.
The woman, later identified as Stella Massengale, then opened the door, and police immediately noted she had a bruise forming under her left eye. Police asked Massengale what was happening, and she stated, “nothing,” but the officers noted her speech was slurred, her eyes were bloodshot, and she had a strong odor of alcohol on her breath, the complaint states.
When asked if she had been drinking, Massengale reportedly admitted that she had and said she was on parole. When asked if anyone else was in the house, she said “Dan” was there.
The complaint notes with the door open, police observed several open containers of alcohol in the living room, as well as open liquor containers in the kitchen.
Police then yelled for “Dan” to come out, and a man, later identified as Daniel Guth, exited from the bedroom into the kitchen area and sat at the kitchen table.
According to the complaint, police observed that Guth had several small lacerations on the left side of his face, a cut above his right eye, and a bruise under his right eye, as well as marks on his nose and lips and a bruise on the right side of his face. He was also discovered to have a clear bite mark on his right wrist as well as welling to the pinky finger of his right hand.
The complaint notes Guth was also observed to have bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and a strong odor of alcohol on his breath. When asked if he had been drinking, he admitted he had, and said he was on probation, the complaint indicates.
Guth was then questioned about what had occurred. He stated “nothing,” at first, then when asked about his injuries, said he “fell.” When police asked a second time, Guth responded, “She’s my wife. Do what you have to do,” according to the complaint.
Police then made contact with State Parole and Jefferson County Probation, and detainers were sent for both Guth and Massengale.
Massengale was then questioned again what had occurred that evening, and she again stated, “nothing.” When asked how Guth got his injuries, she reportedly just laughed and smiled. Then when police specifically asked “if she did that to him,” she nodded in the affirmative, the complaint indicates.
The complaint notes Massengale was seen to be wearing several rings on her fingers, and her fingers were noted to be red and irritated. She had also begun to develop a bite mark on her right hand, under her thumb, as well as bruising on her left bicep.
Massengale and Guth were both then secured to be transported to the Jefferson County Jail.
Guth and Massengale were both arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Gregory M. Bazylak at 3:00 p.m. on January 4.
They each face the following charges:
– Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 2
– Harassment – Subject Other to Physical Contact, Summary
Both defendants were lodged in the Jefferson County Jail pending $25,000.00 (10%) each monetary bail.
Preliminary hearings are scheduled for 1:45 p.m. on January 14, with Judge Bazylak presiding.
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Two People Taken Into Custody Following Domestic Incident in Brookville
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