Bradin Bender

A Butler man allegedly strangled and beat a woman, despite a protection-from-abuse order against him.

On Tuesday, state police arrested and charged Bradin A. Bender, 22, of Butler, with felony strangulation and a misdemeanor of simple assault as well as related summary offenses.

Following his arraignment by District Judge Lewis Stoughton, Bender was placed in Butler County Prison on $15,000 bail.

According to charging documents, there was an active PFA against Bender, barring him from contact with the woman, who was an ex-girlfriend.

Police said they arrived at a home on the 100 block of Queen Junction Road in Clay Township, where they met with the woman and two witnesses, who claimed Bender had been there earlier and immediately began arguing with the woman.

“(The woman) related Bender subsequently struck her in the left eye with a closed fist, causing her to see stars,” said the investigating officer in the affidavit. “Bender then placed his hands around (the woman's) neck, which impeded her breathing.”

Police said the woman told officers she fought back after the initial attack, and as she tried to leave, one of the witnesses intervened. Police said Bender stepped on the witness' foot to prevent them from getting further involved.

“(The woman) was then able to free herself and went to her mother's residence next door to ask for help,” police said.

According to police, Bender fled on foot in an unknown direction. He was arrested some time before his 2:30 p.m. arraignment the same day.

A preliminary hearing for Bender has been scheduled for Sept. 14 before Stoughton.

Upon his arrest, Bender was also arraigned on a bench warrant in relation to another alleged PFA violation in June.

On April 21, the woman filed the PFA, which included a no-contact clause, as charges were filed against Bender in a separate case involving the two. In the filing, the woman said there were multiple incidents with Bender, but the one in April had been the worst.

“He chased me outside of my home and pushed me backward, then proceeded punching me and dragging me back inside,” she said. “Him keeping me hostage and beating on me lasted about 20 to 30 minutes until cops showed up from the neighbors calling.”

On April 1, Bender was charged with misdemeanors of simple assault and disorderly conduct, but he later pleaded guilty to a summary disorderly conduct, which is a non-traffic citation.

On June 29, a filing began the process of prosecuting an alleged PFA violation on June 28. According to court documents related to that offense, Bender had violated the no-contact portion by going to the woman's home.

The woman's attorney then filed July 7 to remove the no-contact portion of the PFA; however, the remaining portions of the PFA still prohibited Bender from acts of abuse, harassment, stalking, threatening or attempts to threaten the woman.

On July 22, Bender appeared in court and admitted to violating the PFA on June 28. He was then placed on probation for six months for the violation as well as continuing drug and alcohol treatment and anger management.