Man charged with assaulting wife, threatening to kill her relatives

A Washington Township man has been charged with assaulting his wife and threatening to kill several of her relatives.

According to the affidavit or probable cause filed by trooper William Hoogerhyde of the Pennsylvania State Police, Troop M Bethlehem Barracks:

At 8:04 a.m. Oct. 12, police responded to a home in the 6100 block of Ginter Court, for an active domestic disturbance.

Paul Johnson, 58, was in the front yard of the residence and told police that he needed to go to jail because he wanted to kill himself or other people.

Johnson said he had beaten up his wife during the overnight hours and wanted to be put in jail, and that if Hoogerhyde did not take him into custody, that he would rob a bank or beat someone up.

Johnson then said that he was done with the whole situation, and that his wife could be taken care of by her “(expletive) of a daughter.”

At 9:15 a.m., Hoogerhyde contacted the victim, who was in a wheelchair and had her right leg amputated.

She was visibly upset and crying through the interview and was attempting to contact her daughter by phone.

The victim said that over the past three days she and Johnson had been arguing, and that at around 9 a.m. Oct. 11, Johnson threatened her with bodily injury, stating that he would kill her daughter and grandson and then proceeded to choke her.

The victim said that Johnson released the hold before she passed out and then disconnected the telephone landline and destroyed her cellphone so that she couldn’t call the police.

The victim said that upon waking up on Oct. 12, Johnson again became angry and threatened to kill her daughter and grandson, and that he then plugged the landline telephone back in and allowed her to contact police.

At 9:26 a.m. Oct. 12, Johnson was taken into custody, at which time he said that he choked out his wife and that he wanted to go to jail or to a mental institution.

Johnson was transported to the barracks, and later transported to the Lehigh County Booking Center, where he was held for arraignment.

Johnson faces charges of simple assault and harassment.

He is currently incarcerated in the Lehigh County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail, and is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Nov. 14 before District Judge Jacob E. Hammond of Allentown.