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LEWISTOWN -- A 30-year-old man is facing robbery charges after assaulting a 66-year-old woman, according to police.
Jason Luis Castellanos, of Lewistown, was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Jonathan Reed on Wednesday on charges of felony robbery, misdemeanor strangulation and related charges.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Lewistown Police Department officers were dispatched to 20 Spring St. on Tuesday for a reported assault on an elderly woman.
Police reported that the victim had an abrasion to her left knee, abrasions to her toes and redness around her neck.
While police were attempting to speak with the victim, Castellanos reportedly emerged from the home while holding his 3-year-old daughter, at which time he was detained.
The woman told police that Castellanos had been living with her daughter on Spring Street, and that the two were arguing and he took her car keys, but later returned them after threatening to call police. The woman stated that her daughter asked her to come over to take the car keys and bring her cigarettes.
According to the report, before the 66-year-old woman left, she wanted to hug her granddaughter, but while doing so, Castellanos came out of the house and jumped on her back, knocking her to the ground and strangling her from behind.
The woman told police she was able to break free from Castellanos and went to her vehicle to leave, but that Castellanos followed her and as she opened the door to her vehicle, Castellanos again grabbed her from behind and began to strangle her.
The woman also said Castellanos grabbed a cell phone from her hand and smashed it to the ground so she couldn't call the police.
A witness said Castellanos knocked the woman to the ground and struck her multiple times.
Castellanos is being held in Mifflin County Correctional Facility on $75,000 bail.
He is awaiting a preliminary hearing set for 9 a.m. Wednesday before Magisterial District Judge Jonathan Reed.