College Township Man Charged with Felony Strangulation

A College Township man is facing felony strangulation and misdemeanor charges after a reported incident Tuesday morning.

State College Police responded at about 7 a.m. to a Buchenhorst Road residence where a woman reported her boyfriend, Brian J. Cuteri, 36, had strangled and threatened to kill her, according to a criminal complaint. She told police he had left the residence in a vehicle and had weapons with him.

The woman said that at about 6:45 a.m. she and Cuteri began arguing and that he became angry after she broke a pair of his sunglasses. Cuteri reportedly threw some of her clothes outside and broke her phone, then threw wooden clothes hangers at her, striking her in the stomach, shoulder, neck and back.

She told police that when she tried to push Cuteri out of the house he grabbed her by the throat and pushed her onto the stairs, cutting off her airflow for 10 to 15 seconds, according to the complaint. He allegedly told her he was going to kill her. 

Police said that children who were in the residence tried to pull Cuteri off of her, at which point he released her and left.

The woman had red marks around her neck and red marks and contusions on her stomach, back, shoulder and neck, police said.

According to the complaint, while police were speaking with the woman, Cuteri returned to the residence and was found to be in possession of multiple handguns, rifles and edged weapons.

Cuteri was charged with strangulation, a second-degree felony, and misdemeanor counts of terroristic threats and simple assault.

He was arraigned Tuesday afternoon before District Judge Thomas Jordan and straight bail was set at $75,000.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 2