16-year-old allegedly strikes girl in the head with bat

FREELAND, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — One person is in custody and a teen is in the hospital after police say she was struck in the head with a baseball bat during a fight.

According to the Freeland Police Department, they were dispatched to Freeland Public Park for a report of a female assault victim, reportedly bleeding.

Police say 16-year-old Christopher J. Kreimendahl, of Coaldale in Schuylkill County, struck the victim in the head with the bat during a fight between the victim and his sister.

During the investigation, officials say the two juvenile females met up in Freeland to engage in a fight after an ongoing dispute between the two.

Court documents state while the two females were walking toward each other, the victim “displayed or mentioned” having a knife.

A witness then stated that Kreimendahl began walking toward where the victim was standing and struck her in the head with the bat, police note.

Officers stated they met with the female involved in the fight at the police station where she told officers she was not the one who struck the victim with the bat, it was her brother.

In the criminal complaint, it says Kreimndahl told officers he hit the victim because he felt threatened by the displaying of a pocket knife and the comment that was made.

The victim was transported by helicopter to a trauma center for further evaluation and treatment, as stated in court documents.

Police note due to the severity of the assault, Kreimndahl will be charged as an adult.

Kreimndahl has been charged with aggravated assault to cause serious bodily injuries, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, simple assault, and several other related charges.

Bail has been set at $200,000 and he is being held in Luzerne County prison.

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