Two charged with aggravated assault

William Bittner, 20, and Matthew Asciutto, 20, of Drexel Hill were charged with aggravated assault and ethnic intimidation in connection with an assault that took place at about 4 a.m. Saturday.

The victims, two Russian exchange students, were exiting Canyon Pizza, 260 E. Beaver Ave., speaking Russian. The defendants, Bittner and Asciutto, heard them and instigated a "heated verbal argument" after shouting ethnic slurs at the victims, according to court documents.

A fistfight between Bittner and one of the victims broke out on the 200 block of East Beaver Avenue after Bittner allegedly pushed the victim to the ground and continued to argue with him. The victims attempted to leave the area going east on Beaver Avenue toward Garner Street, and the suspects followed while both groups continued to argue. According to court documents, the victims turned south on Garner Street, and the defendants chased after them.

Asciutto threw one victim to the ground, and he landed on the back of his neck, according to court documents. Asciutto allegedly picked up the victim by his shirt and repeatedly punched him in the face, according to the documents. Asciutto released the victim, and he fell to the ground unconscious. Bittner then stomped on the victim's head three times, according to court documents. The victim was transported to the Mount Nittany Medical Center for treatment.