SRU freshman heads to trial for assault
SLIPPERY ROCK — A teenager is headed for court on charges he assaulted his girlfriend and wouldn't let her leave his home.
Jacob W. Schriefer, 19, of Pittsburgh is facing formal arraignment Aug. 28 in Butler County Court on charges of simple assault, false imprisonment and underage drinking. He remains free on $6,000 unsecured bail.
Schriefer on Wednesday waived his preliminary hearing in the case before District Judge Bill O'Donnell.
The defendant was a freshman at Slippery Rock University during the spring semester, an SRU spokesman said.
Slippery Rock police about 7:30 p.m. July 11 went to Schriefer's home on East Cooper Street in the borough after a 911 caller reported an altercation there. SRU police assisted borough police.
One officer heard a female inside “screaming,” according to court documents. Another officer heard her shouting “help.”
The door was locked but police said they eventually got inside. Officers went upstairs and found Schriefer leaning over a female, who was on the floor near a window.
“It appeared (the victim) was attempting to escape out of the window and onto a balcony,” according to a police affidavit.
The officers arrested the defendant, who told them, “I'm obsessed,” police said.
The victim, who said that she and Schriefer are dating, recounted that during the incident he grabbed her and held her down. Police said she had a red scratch on her left cheek.
She told officers she twice tried to leave the home but Schriefer closed the doors and stopped her, documents said.
The defendant, who smelled of alcohol, later submitted to a portable breath test device, which showed a high blood-alcohol reading.
At the borough police station, he admitted that the argument with the victim “went further than I wanted to go,” the affidavit said.
