SAXONBURG — A Butler County district judge has requested a bench warrant be issued for a Sarver man accused of assault after he failed to appear for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday afternoon.

Paul Brosenitsch, 51, was charged with one felony count of strangulation, three misdemeanor counts of simple assault and two misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of children after an alleged incident Jan. 17 in Sarver.

No new evidence was presented at the hearing and the only testimony provided was from the arresting officer, who read his probable cause affidavit to District Judge Jack Ripper.

On Jan. 17, state police responded to an alleged assault at 439 N. Pike Road. According to the affidavit, troopers arrived to find a juvenile female allegedly being choked by her stepfather.

Brosenitsch identified himself to police as the juvenile’s adopted father.

According to the affidavit, the officer spoke with the girl, who said Brosenitsch grabbed her by the shoulders and then seized her sweatshirt and swung her to the ground.

The hearing was held without Brosenitsch, whose charges were all held for court with the exception of the strangulation charge, which was withdrawn by the district attorney.

Brosenitsch was free after posting $15,000 bail when he failed to appear for the preliminary hearing Thursday. After the hearing, Ripper’s office requested a bench warrant be issued for Brosenitsch’s arrest by the Court of Common Pleas.