CLEARFIELD – A DuBois man will be spending time in state prison for assaulting a woman at the Clearfield County Fairgrounds in June.
William Joseph Scribe, 32, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person, simple assault and a summary harassment charge during sentencing court on Monday.
He was originally also charged with felony strangulation.
Judge Fredric J. Ammerman sentenced him to serve 12 months to three years in state prison.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, on June 18, the victim arrived at the Clearfield Borough police station to make a report. She was “visibly upset”, her pants were dirty and there was dirt on her arms and feet.
She stated that she was with Scribe earlier that night on Park Street when he accused her of sleeping with another man.
She described the assault as beginning with him grabbing her and covering her mouth. He then took her to a nearby ticket booth and put her on the ground.
“He kept telling her that if she made a noise, he was going to hit her.”
Next, he pulled her through the fairgrounds toward the horse stables. She “kicked off her flip flops as she anticipated on using her mace on him” and could run more easily without them.
She continued to lose items from her purse as she struggled with him, she told investigators.
After they reached the stables, he struck her several times, while still accusing her of sleeping with a particular man.
At this point, he used a small key chain knife from her purse to cut the strap, which he then used to strangle her.
She said he also “used his hands to apply pressure to her neck.”
She passed out and woke up shaking although she was not sure if she was just shaking or if he were actually shaking her.
In addition, he pushed her head to the ground and “made her eat the dirt.”
During the assault, he threatened to kill her and said he could not let her go because she would tell people what happened.
She was able to get away because he fell asleep in the stable.
Police responded to that area and found Scribe sleeping on the porch of a residence on Park Street.
He was “dirty and highly intoxicated on possible methamphetamine.” He was not making sense and not able to walk on his own, police said.
The area around where the assault occurred had several items from the victim’s purse leading to an area of disrupted dirt indicating a struggle. They also found her purse along with the strap, which was located a short distance away.
Scribe’s wallet was also recovered at the scene.
