A 41-year-old Hellertown borough woman is charged with felony strangulation in an assault case in which police say she allegedly strangled a 39-year-old man to the point that he began to experience respiratory distress.
In a news release Thursday, police labeled the case against Kimberley Gayle Luybli, of the 800 block of Poplar Road, one which allegedly involved domestic violence.
They said an officer was summoned to Luybli’s home at approximately 8:45 p.m. Monday after receiving a report of a man who was suffering respiratory distress.
According to a police criminal complaint filed in Northampton County District Court, that officer was Christopher Pfancook, who in a sworn affidavit of probable cause that accompanies the affidavit said the man was “in respiratory distress” upon his arrival at the home.
In the affidavit, Pfancook detailed the alleged victim’s version of events; one in which he said Luybli “confronted him” as he returned home that evening, “accused him of seeing another woman,” pulled his beard, smacked him in the face and grabbed his throat, before allegedly beginning to choke him.
Pfancook said “Luybli confirmed the victim’s account of events” but stated “that she grabbed the victim’s throat in self-defense.”
Pfancook wrote that Luybli’s “account of events altered upon further investigation,” making her appear to be the aggressor.
“Using the information received, the defendant, Kimberley Luybli, was placed under arrest, transported to the Hellertown police station, where she waived her Miranda warnings and refused to give a written statement,” Pfancook wrote in the affidavit, which was filed Wednesday.
According to court records, following a preliminary arraignment before District Judge Daniel Corpora Wednesday morning on the strangulation charge and a misdemeanor charge of simple assault, Luybli was released on $5,000 unsecured bail.
Records indicate that a preliminary hearing in Luybli’s case is scheduled to be held Friday, Jan. 3 at 2:45 p.m. before District Judge Alan Mege in Northampton County District Court o3-2-04 in Lower Saucon Township.
