Glassport councilwoman accused of punching man at local bar

A Glassport councilwoman punched a man at a bar last week, according to charges filed Tuesday.

The incident happened July 29 at a bar called Hott Rodz on Monongahela Avenue, police said.

Katherine Handra, 41, is charged with misdemeanor simple assault and summary citations for public drunkenness and harassment, court records show.

“She grabbed me from behind and started punching me in the face,” Franklin Sabolcik, the victim in the alleged incident, told Tribune-Review news partner WPXI-TV.

Sabolcik told police that as he exited the bathroom at the bar shortly before midnight, Handra approached and said “Smooth says hello” and began punching him. He said another man had to grab his head and shield him from the blows.

Police noted redness and “minor to no swelling” on the ride side of Sabolcik’s face. They said he refused medical treatment.

Officers caught up with Handra about a block away in front of Club 22. They said she willingly came out of the bar holding a beer bottle, according to the complaint. Police said she admitted to punching Sabolik twice.

“No one seems to know the reason why this all started,” Sabolcik told the TV station.

Handra was elected to council in 2019. She is the chair of communications and trash collection and co-chair of parks and recreation.

Mayor Keith DiMarco issued a statement acknowledging the incident but declined further comment in light of the pending investigation.