Police: Spruce Street Man Choked Girlfriend

A Bethlehem man is accused of squeezing his live-in girlfriend’s throat until her windpipe closed and biting her in the face early Thursday morning at their Spruce Street apartment, according to court records.

Eugenio Hernandez-Andino, 41, of 50 W. Spruce St., allegedly attacked his girlfriend after arriving at their home at 4 a.m., the arrest warrant says. She managed to escape, but Hernandez-Andino took possession of her cell phone.

The victim then went to Bethlehem Police headquarters at City Hall to report the attack, court records say. The arresting officer noted bruises around the victim's throat and on her face where she had allegedly been bitten on the affidavit.

Hernandez-Andino was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, harassment and providing false reports to law enforcement. Police said he initially gave a fictitious name when he was taken into custody.

He was arraigned before District Judge Roy Manwaring and committed to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $15,000 bail.