dme court

A Butler man accused of hitting his mother in the face and locking her in a bedroom after an argument over the care of dogs was released after a Thursday, June 18, preliminary hearing over whether he met required bond conditions.

Nicholas William Hrvoich, 39, was granted unsecured bond by District Judge Kevin O’Donnell after being charged May 19 with one misdemeanor count each of abuse of a care-dependent person and simple assault. Hrvoich was allowed to leave Butler County Prison if he secured housing away from his mother and had no in-person contact with her.

His bail was previously set at $25,000.

Butler Township police said they were dispatched May 19 for reports of a son locking his mother in the bedroom of a home along Randy Drive. Police said Hrvoich refused to open the door, so police met his mother at another door.

The woman said she and Hrvoich got into an argument about caring for the dogs and Hrvoich struck her in the face. The woman said she believed she would have fallen if she were not holding on to a counter at the time and did not feel safe in the home.

Police said the woman was recovering from an injury sustained during a fall in April.

Hrvoich’s formal arraignment is scheduled for 1 p.m. Aug. 4 in Butler County Common Pleas Court.