‘Hard to breathe?’: Bedford County man accused of strangling woman, arrested

BEDFORD COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — A Bedford County man was arrested Friday, accused of strangling a woman outside of his grandparent’s home.

David Alan Cooper Jr., 37, of Saxton, was arrested and charged with strangulation, simple assault, disorderly conduct and terroristic threats stemming from an incident on Thursday, Sept. 12, court documents show.

According to the criminal complaint, state police were called to a home in Liberty Township at around 4 p.m. for a reported fight between a man, later identified as Cooper, and a woman. Troopers said they spoke with Cooper’s grandparents who said the whole incident between the two was on their surveillance camera.

Troopers were able to view the footage and said it showed Cooper outside of the home with the woman and he punched her in the face multiple times, the complaint reads. He then allegedly put his hand around her throat. Troopers noted that they could hear her struggling to breathe when Cooper asked: “It is hard to breathe, huh?”

According to charges, troopers were able to speak with the woman who said they did have an altercation and Cooper hit her. Troopers noted in the complaint that they saw bruising on the woman’s neck and face as well as her face swelling, consistent with being punched.

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Cooper was arrested and arraigned Friday morning.

He was placed in Bedford County Prison with bail set at $200,000.

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