Oil City Brothers Jailed on $150K Bail After Allegedly Threatening to Kill Their Mother

| March 24, 2015

HandcuffsCRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (EYT) – Authorities in Franklin say two Oil City brothers have been arrested after each allegedly threatened to kill their mother on separate occasions at her residence on Oakwood Road in Oil City.

According to police, Josie Gabriel Harkless, 24, has been charged with making terroristic threats and endangering the welfare of another person after allegedly pointing a gun at his mother’s head and threatening to kill her on Wednesday, March 18.

Police say Harkless’ brother, 21-year-old Peter Dallin Harkless, allegedly assaulted their mother and also threatened to kill her on Friday, March 20. He has been charged with making terroristic threats, simple assault, and harassment.

According to a criminal complaint, PSP Franklin were notified of both incidents on Friday, March 20, when they were dispatched to a residence on Oakwood Road in Oil City for a reported Domestic Assault.

Upon arrival at approximately 4:15 p.m., Trooper Matthew Wilcox interviewed the 45-year-old female victim.

The victim told Trooper Wilcox her son, Peter, had allegedly taken a lot of drugs the night before (March 19) and had woken up in a bad mood.

According to the complaint, the victim said the incident occurred when she allegedly asked Peter four or five times to let her by so she could go from the kitchen of the residence to the living room.

Peter allegedly refused to move and started to yell at her and slapped her in the face, the complaint continues.

The victim then tried pushing past Peter, but he allegedly threw her into the stove numerous times telling her that he was going to kill her.

According to the complaint, the victim told Trooper Wilcox that Peter wanted her to cry, so he allegedly started to punch her in the face. The victim was allegedly knocked to the floor the last time Peter punched her.

He allegedly threatened to kill the victim if she got up, states the complaint.

Peter then allegedly grabbed the victim’s right wrist and told her he was going to break her arm to teach her a lesson, according to the complaint.

The victim was able to get the phone but Peter allegedly smashed the base, so it was unusable, the complaint continues.

The victim and a 17-year-old female witness allegedly had to contact close friends on Facebook and have them call 911, according to the complaint.

During the course of the interview, PSP Franklin were also notified of another incident involving the victim’s other son, Josie, that occurred around 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18.

According to the criminal complaint, the incident occurred as the victim was sitting in the living room with her son and the same 17-year-old female witness at the above date and time.

Josie allegedly started cussing and calling the victim names while the two were allegedly arguing about Josie and Peter’s alleged drug use and bringing drug paraphernalia into the victim’s house.

Josie allegedly told the victim the house would be his once she was dead, then pulled his loaded .45 caliber handgun out of his holster and pointed it at her head.

According to court documents, Josie and Peter Harkness were arraigned before District Judge Michael D. Snyder on March 21.

Both were housed in the Venango County Jail on $150,000.00 bail each.

Preliminary hearings have been scheduled for March 25 at 8:30 a.m. before District Judge Snyder.


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