SMETHPORT — An Eldred man has been found guilty of aggravated assault following a two-day jury trial at the McKean County Courthouse this week.
Andrew Baker, 32, of Main Street, was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, strangulation, simple assault and harassment. He was found not guilty of an additional count of simple assault and terroristic threats.
District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer reported that testimony at trial included that of a man and woman from Eldred who testified that Baker had been in a romantic relationship with the woman at the time of the crime.
According to the original criminal complaint in the case, at 11:36 a.m. June 17, state police were called to an active domestic situation at an Eldred residence. Phoenix EMS arrived on the scene before state police and had a male patient in the ambulance when police arrived. The man told police that Baker assaulted him, and that the domestic incident was still ongoing with Baker and a female.
Police went to the residence and found the female in her garage, crying and distressed, and saw visible injuries. Entering the residence, police saw furniture in disarray, shattered glass on the bedroom floor and bed, blood stains on the bedding and a pool of blood on the floor. The female told police she was in her bedroom with the other man when Baker — whom she was in a relationship with — came in and started attacking the other man, the complaint stated.
She said Baker grabbed a “glass smoking device” and smacked the other man in the head with it before pushing him to the floor and choking him until he blacked out. She told police she tried to get Baker off the other man, but was unable to. When the other man blacked out, Baker went outside, the complaint stated.
The male victim told police that Baker had stabbed and sliced him on his back. He ended up receiving five staples for a head wound and 16 stitches to his back, the complaint stated.
Baker was charged with the crimes by Trooper Kyle Morton. Shaffer prosecuted the case on behalf of the Commonwealth. Baker was represented by Olean, N.Y., attorney Jay Carr.
Baker will be sentenced Feb. 29.
