FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP, York County — Police in Fairview Township have charged a 30-year-old Steelton man with strangulation, simple assault, reckless endangerment, and other offenses after they say he attacked his boyfriend during a domestic incident in Lewisberry last month.
Douglas T. Lesniak Jr., of the 300 block of Locust Street, is also charged with criminal mischief and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in the incident, which occurred on the morning of Feb. 17 at a residence on the 1000 block of Old Forge Road, according to police.
Police say they were dispatched to the residence at 11:11 a.m. for the report of a domestic incident. The victim reported that he and Lesniak had gotten into an altercation. The victim was found about a half mile from the residence, “visibly upset,” and bleeding from a cut on his hand, according to police. The victim said Lesniak began yelling at him about a broken picture frame and eventually attacked him, punching him several times in the face and shoving him onto the steps. Because of Lesniak’s larger frame, the victim said, he feared for his own safety and fled the residence.
The victim told police he got into his vehicle, a 2003 GMC Sierra, in an attempt to leave, but Lesniak jumped into the bed of the truck. The victim said he began driving to a populated area for his own safety, and while he was driving, Lesniak broke out the rear window of the truck, entered the cab, and began striking the victim in the head with a metal pipe.
Lesniak then grabbed the steering wheel of the truck, causing the victim to lose control of the vehicle, the victim told police. The truck swerved into a nearby field and came to a stop, where Lesniak allegedly continued the attack on the victim.
The victim told police he eventually managed to exit the vehicle and run away. Lesniak then allegedly started the vehicle and drove off.
Police say the victim suffered cuts to his hands, bruising to his back, redness around his chest and throat, and redness around his left eye.
