VENANGO CO., Pa. (EYT) – An Oil City man is lodged in the Venango County Jail on felony strangulation charges related to a domestic altercation that occurred on Thursday afternoon.
According to court documents, the Oil City Police Department filed criminal charges against 29-year-old John McPherson Turner Jr. on Thursday, December 10.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Magisterial District Judge Andrew F. Fish, Oil City Police Officers were dispatched to Deer Street around 1:26 p.m. on Thursday, December 10, for a report of a child custody dispute. While en route to the residence, the caller informed the dispatcher that she had been assaulted by the child’s father. When officers arrived at the scene, they were met by a male known to officers as John Turner Jr.
Turned stated, “I am the one she called the cops on,” according to the complaint.
Turner told officers that he and the child’s mother were arguing over him taking the child and leaving the residence. Turner was extremely agitated and was asked to wait until officers spoke to the caller. Turner refused and left the scene yelling profanities, the complaint states.
During the victim’s interview, she told officers that Turner struck her in the face, choked her, and stomped on her face while she was on the floor, the complaint indicates.
The victim had red marks on her face, as well as a scratch on her eye. The victim also showed officers a video that she had taken on her phone, the complaint notes.
Officers then left the scene to locate Turner, and after not being able to locate him, they cleared the area.
A short time later officers were dispatched to Turner’s parents’ house because he had locked them out of their apartment. Upon arriving at the scene, Turner was taken into custody.
He was arraigned at 4:00 p.m. on December 10 on the following charges:
– Strangulation – Applying Pressure to Throat or Neck, Felony 2
– Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 2
– Harassment – Subject Other to Physical Contact, Summary
Unable to post $25,000.00 monetary bail, he was lodged in the Venango County Jail.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. in Venango County Central Court with Judge Fish presiding.
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