A Butler man accused of witness intimidation stemming from a phone call he made in prison had the charge dismissed.

Terrence Darnell Fields Jr., 32, had the felony charge dismissed by District Judge William Fullerton in a Monday, April 20, preliminary hearing.

Butler police officer Daniel Decaria testified the phone call he referred to took place Feb. 6, when Fields called his fiancé, Karra Bregan, from Butler County Prison. Decaria said Fields had been arrested three days before the call regarding an alleged domestic violence incident.

Decaria played an audio recording of the phone call about 30 seconds long that he said supported the intimidation charge. In the audio clip, Fields told Bregan a hearing was being rescheduled and told her not to be at home when police come to collect her to testify.

Decaria said assistant district attorney Laura Pitchford asked him to review Fields’ calls March 25. Decaria said he reviewed multiple calls, but only that audio clip related to the investigation.

Pitchford did not attend the preliminary hearing. Assistant district attorney Ben Simon appeared at the hearing.

Bregan testified she did not recall any threats or intimidation from Fields during the phone call. She said the two discussed how she and the children were doing among other small talk.

Public defender Terri Schultz argued telling Bregan not to be in the home does not rise to the level of intimidation.

Simon argued it counted as an attempt to intimidate given the recent alleged domestic violence incident.

Fullerton agreed with Schultz that he did not hear Fields’ language rise to the level of intimidation.