CLEARFIELD – A Clearfield man accused of aggravated assault had his plea to lesser charges rejected by a Clearfield County judge on Thursday.
Matthew Richard Houser faces charges of aggravated assault, a misdemeanor count of simple assault and a summary count of harassment.
Houser entered a plea to simple assault and harassment. First Assistant District Attorney F. Cortez “Chip” Bell indicated that the commonwealth was not going to pursue the aggravated assault charge. He stated that the court was unhappy with the plea deal, and would only accept if one of two circumstances were met.
The first would have been if the commonwealth could not show that the alleged victim in the case suffered serious bodily injury. Bell said there was another aspect of the aggravated assault charge that they believed they could prove, the attempt to commit serious bodily injury.
Bell indicated that the second circumstance was that if the alleged victim agreed with the plea deal. Bell stated that it was his understanding that the alleged victim was not satisfied with the plea.
The alleged victim was not present in the courtroom.
“We are prepared to go to trial,” said Bell.
Houser’s attorney, Gary Knaresboro, told Ammerman that their contention has always been that there is no medical evidence of serious bodily injury.
Ammerman then ordered that the plea be rejected.
Houser’s case stems from a June 7, 2008 incident. Houser was charged after allegedly beating a man while he slept in Houser’s on-again, off-again girlfriend’s bed.
For more on the case, click here.