A Pottsville man is in Berks County Prison after he allegedly attacked a woman at a hotel outside Hamburg last week.
Police in Tilden Township, Berks County, say they were contacted by the victim of this alleged incident on Oct. 27. She said that her then-boyfriend, 26-year-old Scott Frey, of Pottsville, had assaulted her on several occasions after checking in at the Microtel Inn & Suites on Oct. 25.
Prior to checking in at the hotel, police say the victim told them they’d been at Dunham’s at the Fairlane Village Mall. There, Frey purchased a black lanyard and gave it to the victim. When he did that, Frey reportedly said, “I can strangle you with this but I don’t know if I’m gonna,” police report.
Frey also allegedly tried to get his now-ex to purchase a firearm and said to her, “I’ll shoot up all the cops. I (bleeping) hate cops.”
When the then-couple checked in, the victim says Frey became very upset with her and put his hands around her neck and squeezed.
“He grinned his face while choking me,” she reportedly told police.
The victim said she was able to stop Frey’s attack by convincing him to go gamble at Rutter’s because she knew that was an activity that would calm him down.
Later, back in the room while the victim was in the bathtub, Frey came in and pinched her skin. The victim said she then left the hotel at about 3 a.m. on Oct. 26. Frey checked out at about 8:30 a.m., police say.
On Oct. 27, Frey was apprehended and arraigned on charges of strangulation, a felony, simple assault, a misdemeanor, and harassment, a summary offense, before Magisterial District Judge F. Richard Drumheller.
Drumheller set bail at $25,000 cash and Frey was remanded to Berks County Prison. A preliminary hearing before Judge Kim Bagenstose is scheduled for Nov. 10.
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