A Schuylkill County woman has spent the last week in jail on domestic violence charges following an incident on March 23 in which she allegedly struck a victim in the face.
Police from Saint Clair say they responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in progress at a home on W. Bacon St. in Palo Alto shortly before 5:30 p.m. that day.
As they arrived at the scene, police spoke with the victim, who said, “Anya is at it again.” The victim told police that the woman, identified as Anya Schwarzenbach, 44, had been drinking throughout the day and began accusing the victim of cheating. Police say Schwarzenbach then struck the victim in the mouth, unplugged cameras in the home, and struck the victim several more times.
The victim told Schwarzenbach that police were being called, to which she reportedly replied that she was not going to jail and went upstairs.
Police say the victim’s injuries were consistent with his account of the alleged assault. The victim also provided police with a 31-second video showing Schwarzenbach yelling from a recliner before lunging at the victim and striking them with a closed fist, police say.
Police located Schwarzenbach upstairs in a bedroom, sitting on the floor with an open Seagram’s spiked beverage. Police say her speech was slurred and her eyes were bloodshot. She was uncooperative and too intoxicated to provide a coherent statement, police say.
Schwarzenbach was taken into custody at the scene. While being escorted from the home, police say she stumbled and was unable to walk to the patrol vehicle without assistance from officers.
Police have charged Schwarzenbach with a misdemeanor count of simple assault and a summary count of harassment. She was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Edward Tarantelli, who set bail at 10% of $5,000, which has not been posted, according to court records. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 7.
Schuylkill County Crisis & Support Resources
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse or sexual violence, free, confidential, and inclusive help is available 24/7 in Schuylkill County.
- Schuylkill Hope Center (Domestic Violence): Call the 24/7 hotline at (570) 622-6220, text HOPELINE to 20121, or visit schopecenter.org. Services include emergency shelter, housing assistance, counseling, and legal representation.
- SARCC (Sexual Assault): Call the 24/7 hotline at (570) 628-2965 or visit sarccheals.org for counseling, advocacy, and healing support for survivors of sexual violence.
- Outside Schuylkill County: Residents across Pennsylvania can find their local domestic violence program at pcadv.org. You can also visit domesticshelters.org to find resources near you.
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