Felony Aggravated Assault Charges Following Montco Domestic Incident: Reports

LANSDALE, PA — A 26-year-old woman from Scranton is facing felony aggravated assault charges after allegedly throwing a knife at the father of her child during a domestic incident in this central Montgomery County borough, according to court records and media reports.

Yanitza Benitez-Rodriguez was arraigned on Aug. 3 in Magisterial District Court on one felony count and three misdemeanors stemming from an incident in Lansdale back in late June.

Court records show that the defendant has been charged with felony-grade aggravated assault-attempts to cause or causes bodily injury with a deadly weapon, and misdemeanor counts of simple assault, possessing an instrument of crime, and recklessly endangering another person.

Benitez-Rodriguez is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 7 before Magisterial District Judge Ed Levine, according to the criminal docket sheet in the case.

Court records show she remains free on $25,000 unsecured bail pending her preliminary hearing.

During a preliminary hearing, a lower court judge decides whether or not there is enough evidence against a criminal defendant to warrant sending the charges over to Common Pleas Court for disposition.

The website NorthPennNow reported that the criminal charges stem from a domestic incident on June 25 at a Lansdale home when the defendant allegedly threw a knife at her child's father, striking the man on the left side of his body and sending him to Jefferson Lansdale Hospital for treatment of a stab wound.

The report says that the man drove himself to the hospital, and that doctors had to treat him for a 12-inch wound under his armpit caused by the kitchen knife.

Police reportedly became involved when being tipped off by hospital staff that there was a man who presented to the facility for treatment of stab wounds.

It was not immediately clear why Benitez-Rodriguez was initially charged in late June but not taken into custody for her arraignment until Aug. 3.

Court records show that the defendant is being represented by counsel from the Montgomery County Public Defender's Office.