The incident began just after 1 p.m. Thursday, June 5, 2025, in the 900 block of North New Street. Investigators were called to a reported domestic-related assault at the Bethlehem home.Saed Hindash | For lehighvalleylive.com
A Bethlehem man allegedly threatened to kill a woman, chased her outside with a rifle and then surrendered after a three-hour standoff with police, according to police.
Jose Martin Lopez, 30, is charged with felony strangulation; misdemeanor simple assault; misdemeanor making terroristic threats; and summary harassment.
Lopez was arraigned before District Judge John C. Capobianco, who set bail at $25,000. In lieu of bail, he was taken to Northampton County Prison, where he remained Friday morning.
Court records did not immediately show attorney information for Lopez.
A woman claimed Lopez allegedly attacked her, choked her and threatened to kill her just after 1 p.m. Thursday in the 900 block of North New Street, according to Bethlehem Police Capt. Nicholas Lechman.
Lopez chased her outside with a rifle after she ran from the home, city police said. It’s unclear whether the rifle was loaded, Lechman told lehighvalleylive.com.
Lopez fled back into the home by the time police arrived, Lechman said. Police shut down traffic in the neighborhood as an arrest warrant was obtained.
The Bethlehem Police Department’s Emergency Response Team negotiated with Lopez for about three hours to leave the home. He finally surrendered around 4 p.m. Thursday, Lechman said.
Lopez was previously arrested in December on felony strangulation and misdemeanor simple assault charges. Court records show the strangulation charge was later withdrawn and he pleaded guilty to simple assault.
He was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to complete an anger management program by Northampton County Judge Michael J. Koury Jr. Lopez was sentenced Jan. 23.
In the Thursday case, Lopez is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 11 a.m. June 18 before District Judge Roy A. Manwaring II. A judge will then determine is there’s sufficient evidence to send the case toward trial at the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas.
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Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached atpholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.
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