Man Punched and Slapped Girl, Police Say

When a South Side Easton man went before a district judge Sunday afternoon, he was facing charges in two incidents in the city that allegedly happened a little more than 12 hours apart.

On Saturday night, according to court records, Robert Barrigher, 28, slapped and punched a girl in the face, causing a bloody nose and a swollen and bloody lip.

On Sunday morning, the records say, a city police officer—aware of the previous night’s incident—found Barrigher walking just west of the county government center with a bag of synthetic cannabinoids under his hat.

After being arraigned by on-duty District Judge Jackie Taschner of Palmer Township, Barrigher, of 470 W. Wilkes-Barre St., was committed to Northampton County Prison.

The Saturday night incident occurred at N. 12th Street and Wood Avenue around 10:20 p.m. The girl’s mother went to police headquarters and told Patrolman Ryan Celia that Barrigher slapped and punched the girl in her face, police said.

Celia writes in a criminal complaint that the girl had a swollen and bloody lip as well as dried blood in her nose and on her sweatshirt sleeves where she was wiping her bloody nose. 

Around 11:51 a.m. Sunday, Patrolman Ryan Boorstein spotted Barrigher walking at Walnut and Lehigh streets. The officer writes in a criminal complaint that he was aware of an active warrant connected to Saturday night’s alleged assault.

After stopping Barrigher, Boorstein found a plastic baggie with synthetic cannbinoids. The suspect admitted to buying the substance -- also known as "K2" and "Spice" -- for $10 from “someone on the street.”

In the first case, Barrigher was charged with simple assault and harassment. In the second case, he was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Taschner set bail at $10,000 for the alleged assault and $5,000 in the drug case.