State police investigating Breneman's claim that county executive elbowed him in the head

An Erie man’s contentious relationship with Erie County Executive Brenton Davis has reached a new level.

Jay Breneman, a former Erie County Council chairman, a PennWest Edinboro instructor and Erie School Board president, has accused Davis of physically assaulting him during a meeting of the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority Board of Directors, held at Penn State Behrend, on the morning of Feb. 15.

Breneman, an ardent critic of Davis, claims the county executive, while exiting the meeting, deliberately elbowed him in the head, causing redness and soreness to his left ear.

“He hit me in my left ear,” Breneman told the Erie Times-News. “I didn’t really know how to react. I wasn’t expecting to get assaulted by someone in that setting."

Breneman, who said he was left “stunned," reported the incident to Behrend campus police on Feb. 16.

Pennsylvania State Police confirmed Monday they are investigating the matter.

Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz declined to comment due to the pending investigation.

County public information officer says no assault occurred

The meeting, which drew several in-person attendees, many of whom sought to defend ECGRA from recent public criticism made by Davis, was being shown live via Zoom.

ECGRA Executive Director Perry Wood said the meeting was recorded but the screen, during the incident, was not showing the audience at the time.

Wood said Behrend campus police also had a plainclothes officer seated at the meeting at ECGRA's request.

The Erie Times-News reached out to Behrend campus police but could not confirm whether the officer witnessed the incident.

Erie County Public Information Officer Chris Carroll sent the following statement to the Times-News on Monday:

“We have no comment at this time due to a pending investigation, except to say the alleged incident never occurred in any way, shape or form. The meeting was public, on camera, live on Zoom, with a police presence in the room. We’re confident that this investigation will prove this allegation false.”

Witness says incident was ‘blatant’

Breneman, who attended the meeting at 5240 Knowledge Parkway on the Behrend campus, said he was there as a member of the public and was seated by the aisle in the last row of the public seating area.

Breneman, who previously served as County Council liaison to ECGRA, spoke during the public comments portion of the meeting, defending ECGRA from what he described as Davis’ “bullying” tactics.

He concluded his remarks by calling Davis a “child abuser,” a reference to allegations made against the county executive in April, when an Erie woman accused Davis of physically abusing her two minor children. Davis has denied the allegations.

When Breneman returned to his seat and the public comments ended, Davis, who was seated in the front row, stood up to address the board. Upon finishing his remarks, Davis picked up a banker’s box full of folders and documents next to his seat and walked toward the exit.

Breneman claims Davis, along the way, passed by his seat and elbowed him in the head.

Former ECGRA Chairman Dave Sample, who was seated next to Breneman, said he witnessed the incident.

“Jay and I were sitting side-by-side in the last row, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw (Davis) throw an elbow into the side of Jay’s head,” Sample said. “There was absolutely no reason for (Davis) to be that close to Jay. It was blatant.”

Breneman, 41, an Army veteran who’s also been dealing with the effects of long COVID, said he continues to have neck problems from his military service and sensitivity on his head due to his illness. He said the incident left the side of his head sore for days.

As the curator of a satirical Facebook page and website that have lampooned Davis stretching back to his campaign in 2021, Breneman said he expected the county executive to be angry at him but added he "didn't expect a physical assault."

“Who would expect a public official to do this?” he said. "I think the fact that he would respond to an abuse allegation with physical abuse is very telling of who he is."

A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@gannett.com. Follow him on X @ETNRao.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Jay Breneman accuses Erie County Executive Brenton Davis of assault