CLEARFIELD – A Clearfield man remains behind bars for allegedly assaulting a woman and baby.
Duane S. Starr, 22, is charged by Clearfield Borough police with three counts of aggravated assault and one count each of strangulation and child endangerment, all felonies.
He’s also charged with two counts each of misdemeanor simple assault and reckless endangerment. Currently, his bail is set at $250,000 monetary.
Starr waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday during centralized court, sending his case to county court for further disposition.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, police were dispatched to the Emergency Department of Penn Highlands Clearfield at 8:27 a.m. Feb. 19.
Upon arrival, it was learned a 20-year-old woman had arrived with her infant son following a domestic violence incident at a South Second Street apartment.
Medical staff said the woman presented with injuries to her head, face and neck that were allegedly inflicted by Starr, and that the infant was also injured during the assault.
When police arrived, both victims were undergoing a CT scan to determine the extent of their injuries. Once the procedure was complete, officers entered the exam room.
The woman reportedly had dried blood on her lower lip, as well as a contusion on her head and neck behind her left ear. She detailed the incident in an interview with police.
She said Starr had been out drinking all night and finally came home around 5 a.m. She said he was holding their infant son when he fell asleep and the baby fell off the bed.
This, she said, caused a verbal altercation that turned physical when he managed to spin her around and wrap his arm around her neck.
He allegedly began choking her and applying so much pressure it was difficult for her to breathe. During this time, she said they fell backwards onto the bed and atop the baby.
She said Starr rolled her over so she was face down but was still choking her, with her face pressed into the blankets. She said she was able to tilt her head back slightly to breathe somewhat.
As she went to get up, she struck her head off the wall and Starr began holding her down by her wrists. When she finally got up, she said Starr slapped her, which knocked her over again.
As she stood on the floor close by, she said Starr stood on the bed. He allegedly pulled his leg back and kicked her in the jaw while she was in a vulnerable position below him.
The woman said she picked up their son to protect him from Starr, but he kicked at her again, and this time, he struck the baby in his head.
He kicked the baby one more time and her two more times, the woman said, noting Starr knows how to use his feet because he used to be a soccer player.
She said Starr punched her in the jaw, causing her to fall backwards, and then tried to punch her again but struck the baby in the head.
She said she didn’t lose consciousness, but it took some time to get her bearings back. She said when she finally got up, she saw the baby had blood on his forehead, which she thought was hers.
This, the woman said, is when Starr began apologizing and begging her not to call police. She said she loaded the baby into the car and drove to the hospital.
Following the interview, police received results from the CT scan, which indicated that the baby had suffered a non-displaced left parietal skull fracture as a result of the assault.
Police returned to the exam room and photographed injuries to the woman and infant. Starr was requested to respond to the hospital where police arrested him moments later.
Due to the severity of the baby’s injuries, arrangements were made for him to be immediately transferred to UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, according to the affidavit.
In an interview, Starr reportedly admitted to having slapped and punched the woman. When the officer pointed out that he’d also kicked the baby twice in the head, he responded: “I know.”
