A Scranton man bit another man’s thumb as the other man was trying to stop him from attacking his girlfriend, according to a criminal complaint.
Bran Sandoval, 24, of 1211 Pittston Ave., faces charges of simple assault and harassment.
According to the criminal complaint:
At about 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, officers responded to the Pittston Avenue residence for the report of a fight between two men.
Dispatchers told officers one of the men was trying to force a door open.
When officers arrived, they found several individuals standing on the front porch of the residence, but none of them spoke English.
Officers entered the residence and spotted several other individuals standing in the doorway of an apartment.
Officers found Edna Sanchez sitting on the stairs nearby crying and distraught, with Yazmin German-Soto sitting next to her and comforting her.
Kendry Lora-Amador was standing nearby. Officers noted a cut on his thumb.
Officers used a translator app on a department-issued phone to communicate with those on scene.
Sanchez and German-Soto told officers Sandoval had attempted to punch and choke Sanchez.
Lora-Amador said that as he was trying to hold Sandoval back, Sandoval bit his thumb.
Lora-Amador, German-Soto and Sanchez told officers Sandoval had assaulted Sanchez several times before.
Sanchez said she was afraid of Sandoval and didn’t want him to return to the apartment.
Sandoval remains at the Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $10,000 bail.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Nov. 3 before District Judge Laura Turlip.