Friday, July 26, 2002

BETHLEHEM -- Prosecutors will file an additional charge of attempted homicide against a city woman accused of brutally assaulting a man by biting his penis and cutting him with scissors.

Katrina Onufer, 25, of the 500 block of Saucon View Drive appeared in court Thursday for a preliminary hearing on previous charges filed May 20 in connection with the alleged assaults.

Prosecutors asked District Justice Elizabeth Romig to postpone the hearing because they intended to file the additional charges of attempted homicide and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse against Onufer.

Northampton County Assistant District Attorney Jackie Taschner said afterward the two charges were added based on evidence discovered after the initial charges were filed. Taschner said the evidence revealed the victim's injuries were life-threatening. She declined to elaborate.

The victim, a 22-year-old city man, had to be hospitalized April 2 and May 20 because of injuries he suffered from assaults by Onufer, police said.

On April 2, the victim reported he suffered his injuries during a mugging in Hellertown, police said. Hellertown police later determined the injuries weren't consistent with a mugging.

They decided to file charges against the victim for giving a false report. They went to his home May 20 and discovered he had fresh bruises and cuts on his body, police said.

The man then came clean, police said. He told Hellertown officers he had just been assaulted by Onufer that morning, police said. He also told them about previous assaults including the one on April 2.

Hellertown police decided to drop the false report charges. They turned over the investigation into the assaults to city police because the crimes had occurred within city limits, authorities said.

During an interview with city investigators, the victim said Onufer would assault him regularly, leaving him no time to heal, according to police. He also said she bit him all over the body, including his penis, and cut him with scissors on at least two occasions, according to police.

The victim said an argument about cleaning his blood off the floor of her home sparked the May 20 incident, according to police.

Following his interview with investigators, Onufer showed up at the police department. She was taken into custody there.

In addition to the two new charges, Onufer is also charged with two counts of aggravated assault, one count of simple assault and one count of recklessly endangering another person.

The new preliminary hearing date is 2 p.m. Sept. 4 before Romig.