A Schuylkill County man was jailed on an assault charge after police say he struck a woman in the face with a cell phone, leaving her bloody and disoriented on a second-story roof on July 1.
Onsha Wiggins, 42, of Mahanoy City, is charged with a misdemeanor count of simple assault and a summary offense of harassment. He is currently held in Schuylkill County Prison on $25,000 bail.
Police in Mahanoy City say they responded to a reported domestic disturbance at a residence on E. Centre St. shortly after 8:30 that night. A witness told police they saw a man grabbing and hitting a woman in a second-story window and heard screaming and yelling. Upon arrival, police saw a woman lying on a second-story roof, covered in blood with a large swollen right eye. Police noted she was disoriented, crying, and unable to respond.
Police say two children appeared in the window and were instructed to get someone to open the front door. The children’s father, identified as Wiggins, came to the window and eventually opened the door after police threatened forced entry. Wiggins’ shirt was covered in blood, and he was heavily intoxicated, police say.
Wiggins refused commands to exit the residence and actively resisted when police attempted to take him into custody, officer say. While pulling away, police say Wiggins stumbled over the edge of the sidewalk due to his level of intoxication and fell, hitting his head. He was checked by EMS personnel and placed in a police cruiser.
Emergency responders assisted the victim off the roof. The victim told police her boyfriend, Wiggins, hit her in the right eye with a cell phone before they began fighting. She stated she became disoriented after being struck and did not remember how she ended up on the roof. The children also told police they saw Wiggins hit the victim with a cell phone and that they ran, only seeing that she was covered in blood.
The victim was transported to a hospital in Pottsville for medical treatment. Police transported the three children to the police station and contacted Schuylkill County Children & Youth Services.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 16 before Magisterial District Judge Anthony Kilker.
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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