BUTLER TWP — A Lyndora woman, accused of spitting on a state trooper and DUI, saw one case withdrawn for refiling and another moved forward to the county level.

Karen Christy, 56, appeared Thursday before District Judge Kevin O’Donnell for a preliminary hearing related to charges of felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor resisting arrest. Christy was brought from Butler County Prison, where she remains on $100,000 bond.

O’Donnell ruled to move forward all charges to the Butler County Common Pleas Court.

Before the hearing, another case was withdrawn with the intent to refile through a different magistrate, likely District Judge Amy Marcinkiewicz. That case accused Christy of causing a disturbance at TJ’s Hideaway in Forward Township, then driving home.

According to testimony by state police Cpl. Randy Orlic, the assault happened after he and Trooper Michael Banachosky arrived at Christy’s home March 19, shortly after they investigated the alleged disturbance at the Forward Township bar.

Orlic said Christy’s boyfriend let them into the home to talk to Christy, who they found lying on her bed in a bedroom.

“She was yelling, screaming and cussing,” Orlic said. “She was not really answering questions.”

Orlic said he and Banachosky were leaving the home with the intent to focus their investigation on the security footage at the bar. Orlic said as he reached the living room, Christy followed them.

“She got within a foot or two of my face and raised her fist at me,” Orlic said.

Orlic said he smelled strong odors of alcohol, both in the bedroom and when Christy approached him, so the troopers arrested her under suspicion of DUI, as well as her threatening gesture toward him.

During cross examination, Christy’s attorney, John Haller, asked Orlic what part of the encounter was threatening.

“She didn’t threaten me verbally,” he said. “She threatened me with her actions.”

Orlic said Christy began resisting arrest, refusing to put her hands behind her back and pulling away from the troopers.

“We took her to the couch, and at that point we tried to put handcuffs on her,” he said. "She dug her fingernails into my right hand.“

Orlic showed a mark on his right hand he claimed was the remnant of the clawing. He said it was bleeding, but he merely cleaned the cut himself rather than seek treatment.

According to both troopers, Christy was screaming and cussing throughout, including as they picked her up off the ground and began carrying her from the home. The troopers said she was calling them “Libtards” and “Nazis” throughout the evening.

Banachosky said as they were exiting, he was talking to Christy’s boyfriend, and at one point, he turned back toward Christy and saw her ready to spit. He said he tried to turn his face, but Christy’s spit landed “on the side of my face, in my mouth and in my right eye.”

Banachosky said he has been to the hospital for one round of blood work so far to uncover any communicable diseases that may have passed from the saliva.

According to health experts, various viruses can be transmitted by saliva. Some are short-term illnesses, such as colds, flus and COVID-19, among others.

Some sexually transmitted diseases can also be passed by saliva, such as herpes and hepatitis, though others, such as HIV is not transmitted through saliva.

“I have to go two more times for blood work,” Banachosky said.

Haller asked the trooper if Christy continued to resist and if she made any further statements. Banachosky said she continued ranting while in the back of the cruiser.

“As I was transporting her, she repeatedly called me a Nazi,” Banachosky said.

As prosecutors rested, Haller made no argument. Haller also declined to comment following the hearing.

Christy is scheduled to appear May 24 for formal arraignment in county court.