Marco Cantera

A Butler man accused of attacking his girlfriend waived a felony strangulation charge to court Monday at his preliminary hearing.

But prosecutors agreed to withdraw a separate felony assault charge against 20-year-old Marco A. Cantera.

Butler police arrested Cantera March 27 after he allegedly choked the 19-year-old victim during a domestic dispute at their home on Lincoln Avenue.

She told investigators that the defendant slapped her around, grabbed her by the hair and threw her to the ground, police said. While on the ground, he allegedly kicked her in the ribs with his shoes on.

At some point, the woman recounted, she ran into the bathroom, but was unable to get away from Cantera. He again threw her to the floor, police said, and continued to hit and kick her.

The suspect got on top of her, charging documents said, and choked her with his hands around her neck.

She told police that she nearly passed out before he stopped choking her. He turned on the shower and allegedly tried to throw her into it.

“(The victim) believed he was trying to drown her,” according to the investigating officer's affidavit.

The alleged attack, police said, left her with bruising and scratches on her neck.

Cantera was arrested and arraigned on charges of aggravated assault, strangulation and simple assault and placed in the Butler County Prison.

Before Monday's hearing at the office of District Judge William Fullerton, prosecutor Laura Pitchford, a county assistant district attorney, opted to withdraw the aggravated assault charge, a felony, which was filed because of the attempted drowning claim.

“We found out there was no water in the tub,” Pitchford said of her decision.

The defendant waived the other charges, a felony and misdemeanor, to court. His attorney, public defender Charles Nedz, declined to comment after the proceedings.

Cantera remains in the county prison on $50,000 bail.