Police: Derry Township man assaulted woman, tried to set her on fire
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A Derry Township man was ordered held in the county jail without bond on charges he assaulted a woman and then attempted to set her on fire during an argument Tuesday.
State police charged Paul Staschak, 44, with aggravated assault, harassment, indecent assault, reckless endangerment, simple assault, making terroristic threats and strangulation in connection with the incident that occurred in the woman’s Salem home.
Staschak was arraigned Wednesday before District Judge Jason Buczak, who refused to set a bond, noting in court dockets he believes Staschak “is a threat to society.”
Trooper Luke Hanko was dispatched to a Pittsburgh Street residence about 6:30 p.m. for a report of a domestic argument.
Police say the woman told them she was seated at the kitchen table when the argument began and Staschak began pushing her and grabbing her throat. Hanko said in court documents that Staschak began choking the victim from behind using his arm and she bit Staschak to free herself.
“A short time later, Staschak re-entered the kitchen carrying a red gas can, spilling fluid on the kitchen floor and her leg and set it on fire,” Hanko wrote.
“I’ll kill us both,” Hanko reported the woman told police Staschak said when he ignited the fire.
She told troopers the flames extinguished on their own, but then Staschak grabbed knives from a drawer and threatened to stab her before she called for help.
“Staschak said the two did push one another and he grabbed her to calm her down,” Hanko wrote in court documents.
Asked about the gasoline can in the kitchen, Staschak told troopers “he never poured any out or attempted to ignite it,” Hanko wrote.
Hanko said the woman had multiple red marks and bruises on her arms and legs, a cut on her nose and complained of pain in her arms and left shoulder. He said Staschak appeared to have a bite mark on his left arm.
Online court dockets indicate Staschak has no prior criminal record. A preliminary hearing is scheduled Sept. 28.