23-year-old accused of beating girlfriend
A Butler Township man is accused of threatening his girlfriend with a knife after punching and choking her, Butler police said.
The woman reportedly suffered bruises that covered her body in the alleged attack Wednesday.
Andrew J. Hoy, 23, was arrested and arraigned on a felony charge of aggravated assault and misdemeanor charges of simple assault and terroristic threats. He was placed in the Butler County Prison on $50,000 bail following arraignment.
Police began their investigation after they got a call about 5 p.m. for two men fighting at the Dunkin' Donuts parking lot on North Main Street, according to court documents.
Hoy, it turned out, was one of the combatants, police said. The other was Eric Haley, the victim's father, who apparently confronted the defendant “about his abusive relationship with (Haley's) daughter,” a police affidavit said.
But by the time officers got there, Hoy was gone.
Police later spoke to Haley's daughter, 27-year-old Stacy Byers, who recounted the earlier domestic dispute at her North Main Street apartment.
She said that Hoy punched her all over her body, including her stomach and ribs. He also choked her, she said, until she nearly passed out.
Additionally, documents said, he “held a knife to her throat while she begged for her life.”
Eventually, she managed to get away, and get help. She refused medical treatment, police said.
While interviewing Byers, police noted she had numerous bruises on her arms, the right side of her jaw, right shoulder and shin, and her left hip.
She also told officers that Hoy “beats her all the time for no reason,” the affidavit said, “and she is afraid for her life.”
Police said that when they eventually arrested the defendant at his home, he admitted hitting his girlfriend and acknowledged having battled anger issues for the past six months.
Hoy's preliminary hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. Monday.
