A Butler woman Saturday morning suffered serious head and facial injuries allegedly at the hand of her boyfriend, city police said.

Laura Minda, 42, of Butler was flown by medical helicopter to a Pittsburgh hospital with a severe head injury and multiple facial fractures in the domestic assault.

Garry Swartzwelder, 36, of 234 Amy Ave. is charged in the assault and remains in the Butler County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bond.

Lt. Brad Cornibe was on patrol at 1:38 a.m. when he spotted Swartzwelder and Minda arguing on North Monroe Street. Cornibe said Minda was "covered with blood,"according to a police report.

The officer separated the two, after which Minda claimed Swartzwelder had assaulted her in a nearby apartment.

Minda was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital and then transferred to Allegheny General Hospital. Her condition was not known this morning.

Swartzwelder was arrested but not without incident, police said.

The defendant allegedly spit in Cornibe's face as he was taken to holding cell at the police station.

District Judge Pete Shaffer later arraigned Swartzwelder on felony charges of aggravated assault for beating Minda and aggravated harassment by a prisoner for spitting at the officer. He is also charged with resisting arrest.

Swartzwelder, meanwhile, already faces separate charges in connection with a hit-and-run crash in Butler earlier this month that left Minda injured.

City police said Swartzwelder was driving a car about 3 a.m. July 1 that struck a utility pole on West Penn Street.

The defendant suffered minor injuries while Minda, who was riding in the car, suffered moderate injuries.

Police later charged Swartzwelder in the crash with accidents involving injury while not properly licensed, driving with a suspended license-DUIrelated, accident involving damage to unattended property, failing to notify police of an accident and careless driving.