Penn State Official Accused of Strangling Woman

A senior Penn State official has been placed on leave after he was charged for allegedly strangling a woman on Sunday in Patton Township.

Keith A. Brautigam, the university’s interim vice president for information technology, is charged with a felony count of strangulation and a misdemeanor count of physical harassment.

“We are aware of the serious charges against Keith Brautigam,” Penn State spokesperson Wyatt DuBois wrote in an email. “He was placed on immediate administrative leave.”

Patton Township police responded at about 11:15 p.m. on Sunday to a residence on Earl Drive, where the woman reported she and Brautigam, 44, were involved in an argument that became physical, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

The woman told police that during the altercation Brautigam squeezed her neck and she was unable to breathe, according to the affidavit. She said “she thought she was going to die,” and tried to scream but couldn’t because of the pressure, police wrote.

Officers observed recent bruising and red, irritated skin on her neck, according to the affidavit. The woman also reported that she sustained a broken tooth during the incident.

Brautigam allegedly told police “that he lost physical control of his body and may have choked her.”

He was arraigned by District Judge Casey McClain and released on $50,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.

Brautigam has worked for Penn State since 2014. He was named chief information security officer and deputy chief information officer in 2022 and was appointed interim vice president for information technology and chief information officer in June.