OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) — The charges against a man who allegedly assaulted and choked another man while wielding two knives during an incident in Oil City were waived for court recently.

Court documents indicate the following charges against 43-year-old Joshua Clay Goff, of Oil City, were waived for court on Wednesday, April 17:

– Strangulation — Applying Pressure to Throat or Neck, Felony 2
– Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 2
– Resist Arrest/Other Law Enforcement, Misdemeanor 2
– Possession Of Marijuana, Misdemeanor

The charges have been transferred to the Venango County Court of Common Pleas.

Goff is currently free on $15,000.00 unsecured bail.

Details of the case:

According to a criminal complaint, around 5:29 p.m. on Sunday, April 7, Patrolmen McDevitt Rosenberger, of the Oil City Police Department, were dispatched to a residence on Pearl Avenue for a report of an active domestic dispute between two males, one of which reportedly had a baseball bat.

According to the complaint, upon their arrival, a known man was found inside the residence with a baseball bat. The man was detained while Patrolman McDevitt made contact with the second male, identified as Joshua Goff.

The complaint notes that while speaking with Goff, Patrolman McDevitt could see a red pack of Newport cigarettes at Goff’s feet, and as he was looking at it, Goff stated: “Yes, that’s weed, and I don’t care about that.”

According to the complaint, through investigation Patrolman Rosenberger found that a verbal then physical altercation occurred between Goff and the other man, at which point Goff grabbed a package containing a straight blade knife, a machete-style knife, as well as a hatchet, and began to argue with the victim with both knives in his hand. The victim then grabbed a baseball bat to defend himself.

The victim then left the residence and went to a neighbor’s house to ask them to call the police before returning to the residence. The officers then arrived at the scene.

The complaint notes the victim was bleeding from a cut on his right ear and also had red marks on both sides of his neck and stated that Goff had placed his hands around the victim’s neck and squeezed during the physical altercation.

Goff was then placed under arrest.

According to the complaint, Goff attempted to run to another room and had to be physically taken to the ground, at which point, he continued to resist until he was placed in handcuffs by the officers with assistance from Oil City Fire personnel that were also at the scene. He also continued to resist slightly while being escorted to the police vehicle by Patrolman McDevitt and was combative for a short period of time.

Goff was arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Matthew T. Kirtland at 8:15 p.m. on Sunday, April 7.

Unable to post $15,000.00 monetary bail, he was lodged in the Venango County Jail on April 7.

He was released on Wednesday, April 17, after his bail type was modified to unsecured bail.