Scottdale man arrested on charges of assault, strangulation

A 38-year-old Scottdale man who signaled a woman to pull over in her car this week is accused of choking and striking her multiple times, state police said.

Jaison M. Maldonado was arraigned Tuesday on charges of striking and threatening a care-dependent person, simple assault and strangulation filed by state troopers after the alleged assault on the 1000 block of Technology Drive in East Huntingdon about 6:30 p.m. Monday.

Trooper Martin Mihelic said Maldonado fled the scene before troopers arrived.

A woman reported she was driving south on Route 119 when Maldonado pulled behind her and repeatedly flashed his high beams. The woman pulled off the highway and Maldonado pulled in behind her and the pair began arguing, according to court documents.

She told Mihelic that “Maldonado then grabbed her by her hair and slapped her five or six times in the face and mouth.”

The woman reported that Maldonado then punched her with a closed fist on the left side of her face, grabbed her by the neck and choked her before fleeing in his car.

Mihelic reported in court documents the woman had a cut to her mouth, the area around her left eye was swollen and she had red marks around her neck.

Maldonado was apprehended later Monday without incident. A judge ordered that he be held in the county jail on $10,000 bond . A preliminary hearing is scheduled April 28.

According to online court dockets, Maldonado was convicted in 2011 of robbery, simple assault and theft charges filed by Greensburg police. He was sentenced to 2 1/2 years to five years in prison, which was to be served at the same time as a 23-month sentence in a separate access device fraud case.

Maldonado did not have an attorney listed in court documents.