A Schuylkill County woman broke her boyfriend’s nose by striking him in the face with an iPhone during an argument at her home, police say.
Kiaritza Marie Ortiz, 21, of Shenandoah, is charged with felony aggravated assault, along with simple assault, harassment and resisting arrest, following the Aug. 1 incident.
Shenandoah police were called to a home in the 200 block of W. Oak St. around 3:30 a.m. that day for a report of a domestic incident that had happened earlier at 20 S. Cathrine St.
Officers made contact with the caller, who told them he and his girlfriend had gotten into an argument at her residence that turned physical. The man told police he had questioned Ortiz about wanting to leave the residence to go hang out with her friend when she became agitated and struck him in the face with an iPhone, hitting him on the bridge of his nose.
Officers observed swelling and a small laceration on the bridge of the man’s nose that would not stop bleeding, according to police. He asked to be evaluated, and Shenandoah EMS advised him his nose was broken, police say.
Officers then went to Ortiz’s home on S. Cathrine St., where her mother allowed them inside and directed them to a second-floor bedroom.
Ortiz was told she was under arrest, police say. Officers asked her to stand, but she remained seated on the bed and leaned back from attempts to get her up, then began pulling her arms away and flinging her body to avoid being taken into custody.
Ortiz continued to fight and fling her body to avoid being handcuffed, police say. An attempt to place her on the ground was met with resistance, and she curled into the fetal position. One officer was able to place her right hand into a cuff, while a second officer worked to remove her left hand from a metal rod under the bed.
Officers placed Ortiz in the recovery position and helped her to a standing position. She sat on the bed yelling at officers, then lunged at one of them and was stopped and steered toward the bed. Once on her back, she began kicking toward officers, according to police.
An officer guided Ortiz toward the wall and away from police and attempted to handcuff her ankles to stop the kicking, police say.
With the assistance of a Mahanoy City officer, Ortiz continued to resist and refused to comply with orders, according to police. She was carried and placed into a patrol unit and taken to the Shenandoah police station.
Ortiz was arraigned Aug. 1 before Magisterial District Judge Christian Lengel, who set bail at $25,000. She was committed to Schuylkill County Prison that day and was released Aug. 3 after posting bond.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 13 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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