Smithton man charged by troopers with assault, cruelty to animals

State police say a Smithton man assaulted his girlfriend and abused her dog during an argument at the woman’s East Huntingdon apartment.

Matthew W. Cathers, 47, is charged with cruelty to animals, harassment, terroristic threats and simple assault by state police after the 7:30 p.m. incident Sunday at Huntingdon Village.

Neighbors of the woman telephoned police after hearing the couple argue, Trooper Nicholas Moore reported in court documents.

The woman told troopers that the couple began arguing after Cathers came to her apartment after drinking and she asked him to leave.

“During the argument, Cathers picked the victim’s dog up by the neck and slammed it against a closet door,” Moore wrote.

Troopers said the woman told police that Cathers then grabbed her wrists “and head butted the victim in the head.”

“Cathers then told the victim that if she called police, he would kill her and her dog,” Moore wrote in court documents.

Police said Cathers surrendered without incident.

He was released from custody on $5,000 unsecured bond pending a preliminary hearing Feb. 22.

According to online court records, Cathers — who previously lived in Madison — pleaded guilty to summary violations of disorderly conduct and harassment filed by state police in July 2020 and August 2019. In 2007, he pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and resisting arrest filed by Washington City Police and was sentenced to 200 hours of community service.

Cathers could not be reached for comment. He did not have an attorney listed in court documents.