Centre County restaurant owner arrested, accused of assaulting a woman near Harrisburg
The owner of a Penns Valley cheesesteak shop was arrested last week after being accused of strangling a woman and knocking her to the ground after an argument.
South Philly Cheesesteaks owner Michele Albegiani, 48, of Potter Township, was jailed after he assaulted the woman and dragged her into a vehicle at a restaurant supply store in Cumberland County, Lower Allen Township police wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.
The woman told investigators it “hurt to talk” and she had difficulty breathing, police wrote. Other reported injuries included a bruise under one of her earlobes and scrapes on her ankle and foot, police wrote.
The Aug. 28 argument caught the attention of several employees. Some workers ran to the front door to see what was unfolding while others rushed to gather Albegiani’s license plate information before he left, police wrote.
Workers told investigators Albegiani placed his hands on the woman’s shoulders while he argued with her, police wrote. Surveillance video from the store confirmed the woman’s description of the alleged assault, police wrote in a statement.
Albegiani was also accused of stealing the woman’s cellphone, using it to pose as her in text messages sent to police. One text message read “I promise I’m ok,” police wrote.
Albegiani was arrested Aug. 30 by state police at Rockview. A message left with Cumberland County Assistant Public Defender Danny Gray was not immediately returned Thursday.
Albegiani was charged with one felony count of strangulation and one misdemeanor count each of simple assault and theft. He was also charged with one summary count each of harassment and disorderly conduct.
He was arraigned Aug. 30 by Cumberland County District Judge Kathryn H. Silcox, who set bail at $50,000. Albegiani did not post bail and is detained at the Cumberland County Prison.
He waived his preliminary hearing Thursday. His formal arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 6.