A Falls Township man was charged on Wednesday with strangulation of his girlfriend connected to an argument about a brand new washer and dryer recently purchased.
Bucks County Radio (BCR) dispatched police on Wednesday, Sept. 25 to the 1000 block of Aldrich Drive in the Falls Twp section of Morrisville for a domestic dispute. The caller said that the victim’s son came to his house and told him his mother was being choked by her boyfriend, police said.
When police arrived at the scene, they heard a man, a woman, and an infant screaming. According to one officer, the screaming could be heard over the air conditioning in his vehicle. The police entered the house through the unlocked front door after hearing the woman screaming for help and no response to their loud banging at the door. Screaming coming from a back room was heard by police when they entered the home The man, identified as Tyler Haas, 30, of Morrisville, emerged from the back room. Responding officers observed Haas sweating profusely and sputtering as he screamed. Haas refused to obey police commands and was physically removed from the hallway. In a rage, he screamed at the officers. Police observed Haas had a cut and was bleeding from his finger, according to the affidavit.
When police spoke to the woman, she appeared afraid and was crying while also holding her infant. In addition to blood on the woman’s shirt and arms, the infant also had blood on the back of his neck. The woman’s neck had red marks consistent with someone strangling her according to police.
The woman explained that she and Haas were arguing over a newly purchased washer and dryer. Haas was upset with the cost. He began to punch the machines and cut his finger, which is how the blood must’ve gotten on her. When asked about the marks on her neck, she said the infant must have caused them, police wrote in court papers.
Police then spoke to the young son, who was terrified to share what happened. He told the officers his mother and her boyfriend argued all day about the washer and dryer. Haas began to punch the machines and then the son heard what sounded like a body hitting the floor. When he looked in the hallway, he saw his mother on her back and Haas on top with his hands around the woman’s neck. The son was scared and ran to his father’s house, said in the affidavit.
In addition to the strangulation felony charge, Haas was also charged with simple assault and harassment. He was arraigned Wednesday night by Magisterial District Judge Kevin P. Wagner, who set bail at 10 percent of $200,000.00. Unable to post, Haas was remanded to county jail. His currently scheduled preliminary hearing is on October 8, according to online court records.