Butler man pleads in assault case
A Butler man, charged with assaulting his ex-wife's boyfriend, pleaded guilty to the crime in Butler County Court on Wednesday.
Thomas S. Smith, 43, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor simple assault before county Judge William Shaffer.
The plea agreement calls for a sentence of six months probation, restitution, fines and community service as determined by the judge at sentencing.
The charges stem from an incident that Butler Township police said occurred on North Duffy Street. Police said Smith, possibly armed with a rock-in-a-sock, broke into the home and beat his ex-wife's sleeping boyfriend, Jonathan Stariat, 40.
Stariat suffered facial injuries and was able to flee to a neighbor's house, where he called 911, police said. During the altercation, Smith allegedly bit the victim's upper back.
A full report will appear in the Butler Eagle.
