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3 charged in alleged taser, shovel incident

Charges were filed against three people following an alleged incident involving two stun guns that ended with one man hitting another in the head with a metal shovel.

Dylon R. Curtis, 22, is charged with aggravated assault, two counts of simple assault, and harassment.

Stephen W. Barth, 52, is charged with two counts of simple assault, and one count of harassment.

Kathrine M. Thompson, 27, is charged with two counts of simple assault, and one count of harassment.

According to the criminal complaint, all three live at 27 First Mill St., Sheffield.

Police interviewed each at the scene late Wednesday morning.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Barth told police he planned to evict Thompson, his daughter, and Curtis, her boyfriend.

The reports of the three interviews show all three indicated Barth was trying to get a television from the other two and an argument broke out over transporting Curtis and Thompson to Erie.

According to the affidavit, Barth said Thompson “got into his face and pushed him” and he pushed her. He said Curtis gave her a stun gun. They struggled and Thompson stunned him with it, Barth said. They continued to struggle and he twisted her arm around and she stunned herself.

In Thompson’s account of the dispute, according to the affidavit, Barth pushed her into a person who was not charged, then picked up the stun gun and stunned her.

According to police, Curtis said he was upstairs when he heard Thompson yell, “He hit me!” He went downstairs where he saw Barth holding Thompson against a wall. Barth then hit him in the stomach. Curtis said he activated the stun gun he had in his hand “to make a sound to alert Barth.” Curtis said he went outside, saw Barth pick up a pink stun gun and hold it near Thompson. He said he was not sure if Barth stunned Thompson. Curtis said he “grabbed a shovel and returned inside.”

All three accounts in the affidavit agree that Curtis hit Barth in the back of the head.

Curtis told police he hit Barth with the shovel.

But, that did not end the incident and the interviews vary after that point.

Barth said he wrestled the stun gun away from Thompson, went outside, and smashed it.

Thompson said Barth punched Curtis in the stomach and pushed her.

Curtis said he went outside and Thompson called police.

All three were arraigned before District Justice Ray Zydonik.

Curtis was taken to Warren County jail after failing to post $15,000 bail.

Thompson and Barth were released on $15,000 unsecured bail.

Preliminary hearings are scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 30.

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