Dog Dispute Leads To Gun, Assault Charges For Levittown Man: Police

FALLSINGTON, PA —A Levittown man has been charged with numerous offenses after an argument with his girlfriend about her dog going to the bathroom in the house, police said.

The Falls Township Police Department charged Edward Cieslinski with strangulation, making terroristic threats, simple assault, and harassment. He was later charged with not being allowed to possess a weapon.

He is being held in the Bucks County Correctional Facility on $25,000 with 10 percent cash bail on the first case and a detainer holding him until his preliminary arraignment on Wednesday, Feb. 15, for the second case.

Falls Township Police Officer Daniel Matkowski, testifying in an affidavit, said he responded to Jefferson Bucks Hospital for an assault at 12:51 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 2.

Carrie Devenuto said she was beaten by her boyfriend at her home on 30 Primrose Lane in the township's Levittown section, Matkowski said.

Devenuto, who was laying in an emergency room hospital bed, told police that said a few hours earlier that she and Cieslinski, got into an argument because her pitbull "Diesel" had gone to the bathroom in the house.

During the argument, Cieslinski raised a rubber mallet over her head, as if he was going to hit her. Devenuto put her hands up and asked "Are you going to hit me?"

Cleslinski put the mallet down, grabbed Devenuto from behind, placed his arm across her neck, applied pressure, and began to strangle her, she told police.

Devenuto said she could not breathe, She then said Cieslinski released her and tossed her into a half-wall, causing it to "separate," she told police.

Devenuto fell to the ground, into the dog's food bowl, scattering food across the floor. She then went into the bathroom, showered, grabbed her purse, and exited the house, police said.

Cieslinski followed her and continued yelling before Devenuto grabbed some Miracle Gro potting soil and threw it at Cieslinski. She told police he grabbed her purse and started hitting her with it "five or six times," striking her on the back and back of her head while she was in a fetal position, police said.

Devenuto told police she then ripped a security camera off the wall and drove away. She also said Cieslinski threatened to shoot the dog.

She told police that Cieslinski had numerous firearms in the house and a prior arrest in which he was not allowed to own firearms.

Devenuto presented the police with pictures of the firearms in the home.

A criminal history check by police confirmed that Cieslinski had a drug arrest and conviction in 2004, Detective Dennis O'Connell said.

Police conducted a search of the home on Friday, Feb. 3, and recovered five firearms from three locations in the house and numerous boxes of ammunition.