A Schuylkill County man was jailed last week, accused of assaulting a woman, leaving her with a bleeding head wound, just hours after previous domestic violence charges against him involving the same victim were dismissed in court, police say.
Earlier on the same day as the alleged assault, April 28, 2026, Senior Magisterial District Judge Casimir Kosciolek dismissed charges, including a felony count of strangulation against Braydin Nettles, 25, of Schuylkill Haven, from a March incident because the victim refused to cooperate in the case at the preliminary hearing on Tuesday.
At about 7:30 p.m. later that evening, State Police say they responded to a home on in North Manheim Township. Officers found the woman with a large laceration above her left eye. The woman was uncooperative and told police Nettles never struck her, claiming she injured herself by hitting her head on a door frame, police say.
A witness, identified by police as Nettles’ father, told police he had driven Nettles back to the house to get clothes following a separate argument there an hour earlier. Police say they had responded to that initial dispute and noted the woman had no injuries at that time.
The witness told police that Nettles went inside the home while he waited outside. Upon hearing a loud altercation, the witness entered the house and saw Nettles on top of the woman, striking her, police say.
When Nettles looked up, the witness told police he saw the fresh, bleeding wound above the woman’s eye and immediately pulled Nettles off of her.
Nettles is once again facing domestic assault charges, including a misdemeanor count of simple assault. He was arraigned on Tuesday night before Judge James Reiley, who set bail at $15,000 and remanded Nettles to Schuylkill County Prison. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 23.
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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