Police: Man Hits Wife While She Holds Baby

A Forks Township man punched his wife on the side of her head while she was holding their 3-month-old baby and earlier choked her for about 30 seconds during which she could not breathe, according to court records.

The wife told township police the following, according to the records:

Her husband, Cape Ellis III, 36, came home around 3 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 26 and “appeared intoxicated.” They started arguing and Ellis pushed her into the bathtub, then pushed her into a wall and struck her with a baby tub. He got on top of her and choked her for about 30 seconds during which she could not breathe. He bit her on the left cheek, “leaving a visible injury,” according to police.

She escaped “and at this time [he] had in his hand a large [12-inch] carving knife. She retrieved the baby “and [Ellis] punched her in the side of the head and continued to assault [her] while she was holding the infant.”

The wife had bite marks on her left cheek, a lump on her right forearm, a small red mark around her neck and an injury to her left thumb. Her right shoulder also was in pain, the records say.

Ellis was arraigned before District Judge Todd Strohe of Bangor and charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and harassment – subject to physical contact. He was sent to Northampton County Prison after failing to post $20,000 bail.

The above arrest information was supplied by District Judge Todd Strohe's office. It does not indicate a conviction.