Pottsville police arrested a Monroe County man who burst into the shelter for Schuylkill Women In Crisis on Wednesday afternoon in an effort to take his children away from his estranged girlfriend.
Facing charges of burglary and violating a protection from abuse order, Gregory Cousar, 39, of 21 Heath Lane, Mount Pocono, was placed in Schuylkill County Prison on Wednesday night after on-duty Magisterial District Judge Christina E. Hale, Frackville, set straight bail at $75,000.
City police Capt. Steve Durkin asked that the name of the victim be kept confidential while Sarah "Sally" Casey, Schuylkill Women in Crisis executive director, asks to keep the location of the shelter out of the press to protect her clients.
Founded in 1983, the nonprofit group provides services to victims of domestic violence in the county.
Casey could not be reached for comment Wednesday night.
According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Pottsville police, the victim and her children were staying at the SWIC shelter. The woman had an active protection from abuse order against Cousar. Dated Dec. 8, 2010, by Schuylkill County Judge D. Michael Stine, it prohibits Cousar from making any contact with the victim.
The victim was residing at the SWIC shelter to avoid Cousar and Cousar was not allowed to visit her, according to the affidavit.
After 3 p.m. Wednesday, Cousar showed up at the shelter and demanded to take the children. She refused to hand them over, and then Cousar kicked in the front security door and began yelling and cursing, according to the affidavit.
"The door was hit with enough force to break the door lock, the dead bolt and bend the metal in the door," the investigating officer, city police Cpl. Dennis Wiederhold, said in the affidavit. He estimated the damage to the door was $700.
At 3:57 p.m. Wednesday, city police were dispatched to the SWIC shelter to investigate a report of a break-in.
When Cousar was told the police were notified, he fled the scene. The Schuylkill County Communications Center put out a county-wide dispatch with a description of his vehicle and state police at Frackville stopped Cousar on Interstate 81 and city police took him into custody, according to the affidavit.
Police charged Cousar with felony counts of burglary and criminal trespass and a series of misdemeanors including criminal mischief, harassment and driving with a suspended license, according to the affidavit.
On those charges, Hale set bail at $50,000.
Police also charged Cousar with a misdemeanor count of indirect criminal contempt for violating the protection from abuse order, according to the affidavit.
On that charge, Hale set an additional $25,000 bail.
Unable to post the $75,000 straight bail, Cousar was committed to Schuylkill County Prison. A preliminary hearing will be scheduled before Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, according to the affidavit.