Crime & Safety
Drunk City Woman Grabbed Cop's Groin, Police Say
Drunk and "out-of-control" woman is accused of assaulting her mother and sister before she turned violent on Bethlehem police officers.
A Bethlehem woman who arrived home in an apparent drunken state and was described as being “out of control” fought with her mother and sister and later assaulted two police officers, court records say.
The records say that the suspect, Raven Veanus, 23, kicked Officer David Bowerman in the chest and grabbed him between his legs. She also allegedly bit Sgt. Scott Felchock on the left bicep.
Before police arrived during the incident Sunday night, Veanus allegedly fought with her mother, causing a large bruise and bite mark on the mother's right arm. The mother told police Veanus “had come home drunk.”
Police also noticed fresh bruising and “a very small bloody scratch” on the neck of Veanus’ sister. The sister, however, would not say what caused her injuries.
Another woman, meanwhile, told police that as she tried to stop Veanus from fighting with her mother and sister, Veanus grabbed the woman’s hair “and pulled some of it out.” Police noticed “minor redness” on the woman’s forehead.
A criminal complaint filed by Bowerman also says:
- When he responded to the 800 block of Rockland Street around 9:40pm, Bowerman saw through a window that a man was in the kitchen lying atop a woman later identified as Veanus. She was on her back trying to break free.
- The man released her right arm and she swung at him. Bowerman put a handcuff on her right arm and she began to “thrash about” and ignored all commands to stop. While Bowerman tried to place the handcuffs on her, she kicked him in the chest, then tried to kick him in the face.
- “It was clear that [Veanus] was trying to kick me and not just trying to get away,” he wrote.
- With the help of other officers, Bowerman tried to get Veanus into a police car. As he lifted her by her left arm, “she grabbed his groin with her left hand and squeezed.” She released her grip when he tightened his wristlock on her and forced her to the ground.
- Police eventually had to carry Veanus out of the house and during this trip Felchock was bitten on his left bicep.
Veanus was charged with two counts each of aggravated assault and simple assault and one count of resisting arrest. She was arraigned at 3am Monday by on-duty District Judge Diane Marakovits of Northampton and committed to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $10,000 bail.
