Man Threatened Girlfriend with Boiling Water, Police Say

A Bethlehem man allegedly picked up his girlfriend and threw her on the floor, smashed a video game drum set on her back and threatened to throw a pot of boiling water on her, police said.

Jessie Johnson, 32, of 731 E. Fairview St., is accused in the physical and mental abuse of his girlfriend, who came to Bethlehem police headquarters on Monday to tell officers about the domestic violence she had suffered two days earlier.

At one point during the struggle, the woman told police, Johnson was holding her down, covered her mouth and nose with his hands and screamed "Die ... I hate you!"

The woman told police that she did not call police to report what had happened on Saturday because she “was scared of what Jessie Johnson would do to her if she called,” the affidavit of probable cause said. She also told police that “she is terrified of Jessie and tired of living in fear,” the affidavit says.

Johnson was charged with simple assault, terroristic threats and harassment and was arraigned Monday night before District Judge Patricia Romig-Passaro. He was released on 10 percent of $10,000 bail on Tuesday.