Man Charged with Strangulation, Assault

A State College man is facing a felony strangulation charge and a misdemeanor assault charge stemming from an incident early Thursday morning.

A woman reported to Penn State Police that Keerti Prakash, with whom she had ended a relationship about a month ago, came to her campus apartment just after midnight and said that he was ‘feeling alone’ and ‘needed a friend,’ according to the criminal complaint.

Prakash allegedly started asking about the woman’s male friends and wanted to read her text messages. When she refused, Prakash allegedly became angry and struck her in the neck with his forearm. Police said he took her phone and grabbed her by the throat, and that the woman could not catch her breath as he applied pressure to her neck.

When she tried to get away, Prakash allegedly struck her in the side of the head, causing her to fall to the ground. The woman told police she got up to reach for another cell phone and Prakash kicked her in the chest, causing her to fall back down and lose her breath, according to the complaint.

The woman was able to grab her cell phone and started to dial 911 at which point Prakash gave back the other phone and left the apartment, police said.

Prakash was charged with strangulation, a second-degree felony, simple assault, a second-degree misdemeanor, and a summary count of harassment. He was arraigned on Sunday before District Judge Kelley Gillette-Walker. He was being held at the Centre County Correctional Facility, unable to post $75,000 bail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday