MONROE TWP., Pa. (EYT) — A former Venango County man accused of choking a woman and beating her head off of a bookshelf is now behind bars in Clarion County after evading police custody since last Wednesday.

According to Sergeant Scott Bauer, the station commander of the State Police barracks in Clarion, Justin Lamar Harris, 25, of Clarion and formerly of Oil City, was apprehended in Latrobe, Westmoreland County, on Monday morning.

He was transported back to Clarion County where he was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Timothy P. Schill at 1:03 p.m.

Harris was placed in the Clarion County Jail in lieu of $100,000.00 cash bail.

A criminal complaint filed on August 22 at District Magistrate Duane Quinn’s office indicates Harris was wanted on charges of second-degree felony strangulation, second-degree misdemeanor simple assault, and summary harassment.

The charges stem from a domestic dispute that occurred at a residence along South 2nd Avenue in Monroe Township, Clarion County, on August 22 around 5:25 a.m.

Clarion-based State Police Troopers Knight and Norris were dispatched to the residence and made contact with the female victim inside an upstairs bedroom.

According to the criminal complaint, the victim complained of back pain and discomfort in her right eye. Police observed bruising around her throat and multiple red marks on her body.

The victim told police that she got into a verbal argument with Justin Harris that quickly turned physical.

The criminal complaint states the victim told police that Harris grabbed her by the throat, pinned her to the bed, and choked her to the point that she nearly lost consciousness.

She said the altercation continued downstairs where Harris repeatedly slammed her head off of a bookshelf, according to the criminal complaint.

He then fled the scene in an unknown direction, prompting authorities to issue an alert asking the public to be on the lookout for Harris.

Harris faces a preliminary hearing before Judge Schill on September 18 at 8:30 a.m.