CLEARFIELD – A Grampian man accused of chasing down a vehicle occupied by two female juveniles and then striking it with a baseball bat waived his right to a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Jerome Nevling during Centralized Court on Wednesday at the Clearfield County Jail.
Gunther Lee Botzman, 20, of Grampian has been charged with simple assault; recklessly endangering another person; harassment; criminal mischief; following too closely; and careless driving. The charges stem from an incident that allegedly occurred the night of Nov. 25.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, two female juveniles were traveling south on state Route 219 between Mahaffey and Fire Tower Road. Both victims reported that the operator of a blue-colored Honda Civic approached their vehicle at a high rate of speed. They told state police the vehicle was traveling very closely behind them.
One victim said she knew the operator as Botzman and with whom she’s had an on-and-off relationship. She said Botzman had been calling her repeatedly throughout the night. Both victims indicated that Botzman continued to follow them at a very close distance and believed his vehicle would strike their own from behind. Also, the victims told state police Botzman repeatedly sounded his horn while aggressively pursuing them.
The victims said that Botzman passed their vehicle on the left-hand side and started driving alongside them. Botzman, they said, was forcing their vehicle off the berm of the roadway. The victim who was operating the vehicle said she stopped, so that she wouldn’t be forced off the roadway by Botzman.
At that point, she indicated Botzman pulled in front of their vehicle. She said he exited his own and retrieved a baseball bat. She alleged that he subsequently approached them and struck their vehicle several times, causing damage to the driver’s side headlight and quarter-panel. She said that she proceeded to accelerate to escape from Botzman.