Charges detailed against Pittsburgh man accused of Saturday kidnapping
The details of the charges levied against a man accused of assaulting his former girlfriend and kidnapping her Saturday, Feb. 14, in Butler have been released.
Kenneth Clarke, 53, of Pittsburgh, was charged Saturday with one felony count each of kidnapping, strangulation and aggravated assault; and one misdemeanor count each of terroristic threats and simple assault. The full list of charges and offense grading became available Tuesday at District Judge William Fullerton’s office.
Authorities said they found the woman on the floor of Butler Tobacco & Grocery in a “disheveled” state with blood, cuts and abrasions on her face after she fled a U-Haul being driven by Clarke.
The woman told police her ex-boyfriend, Clarke, had shown up to her McGeary Street apartment and said he wanted to spend Valentine’s Day with her. When the woman refused to spend the day with Clarke, police said he became physical.
Police said Clarke then struck the woman in the face repeatedly, then placed both hands around her neck and began to strangle her and she began to lose consciousness. Police said Clarke then grabbed the woman’s hair and shoved her into a wall, which left a cut on her ear.
Clarke then dragged the woman out of the residence by her hair and threw her across the front seat into a U-Haul, police said. Clarke held a green pair of scissors to her and said he was going to kill her, police said.
Police said when the U-Haul came to the intersection of West Cunningham and Pillow streets, Clarke almost ran the red light and had to reverse the vehicle. The woman decided then to flee the vehicle, police said. When she opened the passenger door, Clarke attempted to stab her.
The woman then ran into Butler Tobacco & Grocery and hid in a storage room in the store, according to police. Clarke followed her inside, but fled before police arrived.
Police said the U-Haul Clarke was driving was later spotted on Route 68. Butler city police said Evans City and Jackson Township police stopped the vehicle after a brief chase. Cranberry Township police Chief Kenneth Ruckel told the Butler Eagle the pursuit came through their jurisdiction at about 2:40 p.m.
“A Cranberry police officer utilized stop sticks to disable the suspect vehicle around Peters Road,” Ruckel said. “The suspect vehicle came to a stop a short distance later and the operator detained near Myoma Road.”
Clarke is being held in Butler County Prison on $250,000 bail. His preliminary hearing has not yet been scheduled.
