A Las Vegas man is in McKean County Jail, charged with holding a woman and her infant in her Clarence Street, Bradford residence against their will, and allegedly holding a knife to the baby.
Karl Sena, 29, of 313 Cumbers Patio, Las Vegas, Nev., is charged with attempted aggravated assault, a first-degree felony; strangulation and false imprisonment of a minor, second-degree felonies; two counts of terroristic threats and one of unlawful restraint, first-degree misdemeanors; two counts of recklessly endangering another person and one count each of false imprisonment and simple assault, second-degree misdemeanors.
According to court records, at 4:11 p.m. Saturday, Sena got involved in a fight with his girlfriend at a residence on Clarence Street. During the fight he hit her in the head and chest several times, causing injury to her eye, ear and chest, and threatened to kill her. He also grabbed her by the throat, choking her to the point she nearly passed out.
Sena also held a knife to the chest of the infant, screaming at the child to shut up, the criminal complaint stated. He restrained the woman while she was holding the infant, preventing them from getting out of the residence, the complaint read.
According to Bradford City Police, officers from the city and Bradford Township Police had to gain entry and extract the adult female victim, the infant child, and another young juvenile male to safety.
Sena was then apprehended after he had ran and barricaded himself for a short time upstairs with the knife, police stated.
Sena was arraigned by District Judge William Todd and remanded to McKean County Jail on $100,000 bail. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 9 a.m. Aug. 12 before District Judge Dom Cercone.
Acting Bradford City Police Chief Mike Ward offered his appreciation to the officers involved in the incident, saying their professional actions helped bring the incident to a peaceful conclusion.
“It isn’t often that we name the officers that were involved in these types of incidents,” Ward said. “Every now and then, a case comes along when they deserve thanks.”
He mentioned patrolmen Steve Green and Richard Obermeyer from the city police and Lt. Jeff Shade and Officer Matthew Lamade from Bradford Township police.
“They all acted with professionalism and bravery, and I just want to thank them for their actions on this date,” Ward said. “Those guys stepped up and handled it.”
