Crime & Safety

Chew Leads to a Bottle in the Face: Whitemarsh Police

An argument over tobacco at a local restaurant leaves a man injured, police say.

Whitemarsh Police arrested a Plymouth Meeting man earlier this month after he allegedly assaulted a man by hitting him in the face with a beer bottle at a local restaurant.

John Harte, 45, of the 2900 block of Jolly Road, was arrested Nov. 8 following an alleged altercation at Brittingham’s in the 600 block of Germantown Pike.

According to the criminal complaint, the victim was spitting tobacco into an outdoor fireplace at the restaurant and was asked to stop by Harte. The victim said he would not stop, and spit into the fireplace again.

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After hearing that the man would not stop spitting, Harte told the man that he would hit him in the face with his beer bottle … and then did, according to the criminal complaint. The bottle shattered and caused deep lacerations to the left side of the victim’s face, including his left cheek and around his eye, the complaint continued.

After witnesses stopped the assault, Harte fled on Germantown Pike, police said.

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The victim was taken to Chestnut Hill Hospital by Whitemarsh Ambulance and was treated for the lacerations; he needed 38 stitches, according to the complaint.

Police questioned Harte at his residence. According to police, Harte initially denied striking the victim, but when Harte was told that the victim sustained lacerations to his face, Harte said that he “may have had something in [his] hand.”

Police found a shattered beer bottle in the area, according to the complaint.

Harte said that the victim threw a drink glass at him, which cut his lower lip, but Harte denied treatment, according to the complaint.

Harte does not appear to have a criminal history; he was charged with aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct and simple assault.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 27 at 10 a.m. before District Justice Deborah Lukens.  


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