PUNXSUTAWNEY BOROUGH – Two local men are facing criminal charges after they allegedly forced their way into a woman’s home and then broke the window out of a man’s truck after leaving.
Court documents indicate the Punxsutawney Borough Police Department filed criminal charges against 24-year-old Sean Patrick Kennelley and 24-year-old Dane Forrest Bright, both of DuBois.
According to a criminal complaint, around 10:35 a.m. on November 30, a known female victim arrived at the Punxsutawney Borough Police Station, accompanied by two known men.
According to the complaint, the victim reported that Sean Patrick Kennelley and Dane Forrest Bright had forced their way into her Punxsutawney Borough residence and then forced her to the ground in an attempt to get to one of the known men. She stated that after several minutes of her forcibly kicking and shoving Kennelley, he got off of her, and she was able to get to her feet. Kennelley and Bright then allegedly retreated from the residence, and the victim then locked the door.
The victim went on to report that several minutes after they departed, the victim told the two known men they should check their vehicles. The victim told police that Kennelley had broken the windows of vehicle when he was angry in the past.
According to the complaint, they found that the rear lift gate window was broken out of the first known man’s 2008 Hyundai Veracruz, which was parked in the driveway. The second known man’s vehicle, which was parked behind the residence, was not damaged.
The victim and the two men were then asked to provide written statements while Officer Andrekovich ran the names of Kennelley and Bright through the Commonwealth Law Enforcement Assistance Network. He found that neither had any outstanding warrants, and he printed out their driver’s demographics. He then showed photos of the men to the victim, who was able to positively identify them by name.
In a later interview, the victim reported that when Kennelley knocked at her door, she opened it because: “He was banging on the door so hard that she actually thought it was the police.” She then opened the door, but when she saw that it was Kennelley, she attempted to close it immediately. At that point, Kennelley allegedly forced his way past her into the residence, despite her repeated requests that he leave, the complaint states.
According to the complaint, the victim noted that Kennelley was highly intoxicated and yelling at the top of his voice about one of the known men. She also reported that he shoved her down onto the steps while yelling, and she was attempting to get him off of her, while Bright was also attempting to force his way past her in an attempt to get to the known man. She said whenever the known man got up and approached them, stating “yes, I’m here,” Kennelley became more angered, and got up and left the residence. She then waited a few minutes before deciding they should check on the vehicles because of Kennelley’s tendency to break things when he is drunk.
The two known men were also interviewed further.
The first known man reported he heard the victim telling whoever had banged on the door to leave and could hear the men yelling his name and comments about him. He noted he also heard the victim yelling for them to get off of her, at which point he got up and walked to the kitchen, where a verbal argument ensued between him, Kennelley, and Bright. He noted that after Kennelley and Bright left, the victim informed him that Kennelley has a tendency to punch things when he is drunk and said they should check their vehicles.
He went on to state that he then discovered broken glass when he walked outside. He said he thought at first that Kennelley had broken a beer bottle on his way out, but then he heard some glass falling and turned and saw that the rear window of his vehicle was broken. He told police he assumed Kennelley may have punched it on his way past.
The second known man also reported overhearing the yelling between Kennelley, Bright, and the victim, and noted he believed Kennelley was intoxicated. He reported he saw the first known man getting up and walking to the doorway between the living room and the kitchen, and stating that he was there, before Kennelley and Bright left the residence. The second known man also reported the victim told him and the other known man that Kennelley had a “history of punching things when he’s drunk” and insisted that they check their vehicles. He noted there was nothing wrong with his vehicle, which was parked out back, but went on to say the first man’s vehicle had a window broken, the complaint indicates.
The charges were filed through Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office on December 11.
Preliminary hearings are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Friday, January 3, with Judge Mizerock presiding.
Read more: https://www.explorejeffersonpa.com/.