STEWARTSTOWN, York County — A 38-year-old Maryland man is facing simple assault and harassment charges after an argument over leaving the toilet lid up allegedly turned physical Saturday night.
Justin Ryan Wilhelm, of Parkton, MD, was charged after police were called to an apartment on the first block of High Street by the alleged victim in the dispute.
According to Southern Regional Police, the victim reported that she returned to her apartment to find Wilhelm, who was staying there for a few days. Wilhelm was lying on the couch watching TV when the victim arrived, the victim said.
When the victim went to the bathroom, she noticed the toilet lid had been left up. The victim told police this made her angry, because she had asked Wilhelm not to do that on prior occasions due to her concerns about endangering the cats in the apartment. The victim said she confronted Wilhelm about that issue and other problems she had with him, including his neglect at locking doors and turning off lights. During the argument, the victim said, Wilhelm admitted that he had been drinking, which she had told him not to do in the apartment because the victim and her boyfriend were trying to stay sober.
The victim said she asked Wilhelm to leave, but he refused. He then allegedly began mocking the victim, who responded by throwing a box of tissues at him.
At the point, the victim told police, Wilhelm said “Now you’re going to make this physical,” got off the couch, grabbed the victim by the throat, and shoved her into a wall. The impact broke the drywall and chipped the paint, the victim told police. The victim then fled from the apartment and called police.
Police say they made contact with Wilhelm at the apartment. Wilhelm admitted to arguing with the victim, but maintained that he never made physical contact with her. He allegedly told police that the wall had been damaged prior to his arrival at the apartment.
Police contacted the victim’s boyfriend, who also lives in the apartment. The man told police there was no damage to the wall when he left for work that morning. When asked if he had received any communication from the victim before speaking to police, the man said no, police say.
Wilhelm was charged on Sunday.
