A Schuylkill County man was jailed after police say he broke a woman’s nose following a child’s birthday party, was found intoxicated in a disabled vehicle stuck in the snow, and then peed all over their station.
Cruz Gonzalez-Garcia, 41, of Summit Station, is charged in connection with the incident that began late on Feb. 1 at a residence on Fair Rd. (Route 895) in South Manheim Township.
State Police say they were dispatched there just before midnight for a report of a male who had been drinking all day and was attempting to drive away from a residence.
Police say they located a black Toyota Matrix disabled in the snow in the westbound lane of Fair Road, near Jan Drive, and Gonzalez-Garcia was in the driver’s seat with the engine running.
When asked to exit the vehicle, Gonzalez-Garcia reportedly stumbled and emitted a strong odor of alcohol. Police said he admitted to consuming three beers and stated he was trying to make a U-turn to return to the residence when he got stuck.
Due to the hazardous location of the vehicle and the defendant’s inability to maintain his balance, police say they did not conduct sobriety tests at the scene.
During the investigation, police say they interviewed a woman at the Fair Road residence. She told investigators that the home had hosted a 10th birthday party that day and that Gonzalez-Garcia started drinking at about 5 p.m.
The affidavit states that after guests left the party, the woman was locking the rear door when Gonzalez-Garcia ran from the front of the residence and punched her in the face about three times.
The woman told police she ran upstairs and locked herself in a bedroom with her children. Gonzalez-Garcia allegedly kicked the bedroom door for several minutes before going back downstairs and driving away.
Police say a large contusion was on the victim’s forehead, along with swelling to her nose and a bloodshot eye. She was later diagnosed with a broken nose at a hospital.
Gonzalez-Garcia was taken into custody and transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital-East in Pottsville for a blood draw. During a subsequent interview at the police station, Gonzalez-Garcia reportedly admitted to a verbal argument and to driving away but did not recall punching the woman.
Police add that as they were preparing charges against him, Gonzalez-Garcia was seen on camera standing up and peeing on the wall and floor of the patrol room.
Gonzalez-Garcia has been charged with a felony count of aggravated assault, misdemeanor counts of simple assault and DUI, and summary counts of harassment, careless driving, and other traffic violations.
He was arraigned on those charges before Magisterial District Judge Stephen Bayer, who set bail at $25,000 and remanded Gonzalez-Garcia to Schuylkill County Prison.
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