A man has been charged with criminal obstruction of breathing, along with several other charges, after allegedly strangling a female victim with a golf club on Wednesday night. The incident occurred around 10:30pm on Abbott Road near Brookview Terrace in Orchard Park.
Police dispatch received multiple reports of a possible domestic altercation and that they saw a man carrying a "golf club in his hands." Upon arrival, officers were met by a female victim who claimed she had been assaulted and strangled with a golf club.
The victim identified the suspect as 53-year-old Heath Snyder and informed officers that he was hiding in an upstairs crawl space within the residence, possibly armed with a weapon. Officers relocated upstairs and found Snyder in the crawl space where he was found brandishing a knife.
Snyder refused to drop the knife and a crisis negotiator was called in for assistance. After several hours, Snyder eventually emerged from the crawl space and was taken into custody without further incident.
Snyder now faces multiple charges including criminal obstruction of breathing, second-degree menacing, first-degree criminal contempt, and resisting arrest. Snyder was arraigned and remanded to the Erie County Holding Center pending a felony hearing.
Suspect Strangles Woman with Golf Club, Threatens Police with Knife