A man recently hired to teach an improvisation theatre class at Penn State turned himself in Thursday after police charged him with harassing a woman authorities say he assaulted in December.
Eliot Preschutti, who was hired to teach THEA 297 this fall, was arraigned on four counts of intimidation of a witness or victim and one count of retaliation against a witness or victim, according to court documents.
The charges all stem from a December domestic dispute between Preschutti, 35, and his former girlfriend, police said.
He was released from the Centre County Correctional Facility Thursday night after posting $50,000 bail.
Preschutti was charged Dec. 6 with two felony counts of aggravated assault, two misdemeanor counts of simple assault, one summary count of harassment and one misdemeanor count of criminal mischief, according to court documents.
Police said a domestic dispute was reported by the woman's daughter at a Pike Street residence in December. The assailant fled the scene before police arrived, police said.
According to court documents, the woman was hit with pots and pans and was struck over the head with a thick wooden bowl. Police said there were pans and food scattered all over the kitchen floor when officers arrived.
The woman told police she was knocked unconscious during the assault, police said.
The woman was transported to Mount Nittany Medical Center with injuries to her left forearm, left ear and knee, caused from a fall during the assault, police said.
According to the new charges, Preschutti told friends and family members to relay threatening messages to the woman. Police say the harassment occurred while Preschutti phoned friends from behind bars between Dec. 2008 and April 2009.
Preschutti told one friend to call all the business owners he knew in State College to tell them to never let the woman into their establishments, according to court documents. He also had the same friend tell the woman Preschutti would drag her history into the courts, and when that happened, she would lose custody of her children, police said.
In March of this year, Preschutti asked his friend who works at an undisclosed bar to never serve the woman, according to court documents. He said she is "insane and a crazy c---," according to court documents.
Preschutti's arrest came after The Daily Collegian wrote a story on the new THEA 297 class and interviewed the instructor.
Thursday morning, Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Leigh Barrows said Preschutti was currently out on bail and had a warrant out for his arrest. Hours later, she said he was brought in to the Centre County Correctional Facility by his attorney and was arraigned by District Judge Jonathan Grine.
Dan Carter, director of the School of Theatre, said he couldn't comment on the situation until he learns more information.
"This is why we do background checks," Carter said.
Preschutti's preliminary hearing will be held Aug. 18 at 8:30 a.m.
