Why a Central City couple's domestic argument led to assault and child endangerment charges

CENTRAL CITY ― A local couple was arrested Wednesday by Pennsylvania State Police in Somerset after a verbal argument the day before led to shots being fired with the couple's 2-year-old child nearby.

Melissa Monaghan, 40, is charged with one count each of aggravated assault, simple assault and making terroristic threats and two counts of endangering the welfare of children. She is alleged to have fired a 9 mm pistol twice toward her husband while seated inside her vehicle, with the child occupying the front seat next to her.

Her husband, Allen Hitechew, 39, has been charged with one count of endangering the welfare of children.

In other news: Meyersdale man charged in handgun incident

According to the criminal complaint filed at District Judge William Seger's office, state police were called to the Shade Township home for a domestic assault with shots fired. A neighbor reported hearing the couple arguing, then heard gunshots. The neighbor said they observed Monaghan seated in the driver's seat of her vehicle, with the child seated in the front passenger seat, when she fired two shots at Hitechew as he exited the home and walked toward her vehicle.

According to the criminal complaint, Hitechew told police he and Monaghan had had a verbal argument, and he was inside the residence when he heard two gunshots outside the home. He went outside his residence and saw his wife holding his 9mm handgun, which she pointed at him from inside the vehicle as he walked toward her. He said he walked up to her, took the handgun away and then took it back inside the home.

Police then served a search warrant at the residence, where troopers found the house "in extreme deplorable conditions which would have endangered the welfare of (the child)," the complaint read.

Search and Rescue: Somerset Search and Rescue crew assist in successful rescue of lost elderly woman

Monaghan had a prior warrant

For two weeks, the Somerset County Sheriff's Office tried several times to serve a bench warrant for Monaghan's apprehension connected with another case. But when they knocked on her door, no one answered, according to Sheriff Dusty Weir.

"The fact that there could have been guns in the house is of concern," he said.

According to the clerk of courts staff, in that case, Monaghan was charged with possession of controlled substance filed by Somerset county detectives in the district attorney's office on May 5, 2023.

She did not show for her preliminary hearing on Nov. 1 before then-Somerset District Judge Ken Johnson.

The current Somerset District Judge Scott Walker sent the complaint, based on the no-show, to Somerset County Court on May 8. A bench warrant was issued and the sheriff's office tried to serve it.

On May 16, during motions court in county court, Monaghan went before the judge with an excuse for not showing up for her preliminary hearing; her excuse was accepted and the bench warrant was vacated, according to court records.

Latest property transfers: Who bought and who sold property in Somerset County May 13-17?

Preliminary hearings set

In the latest case, Monaghan and Hitechew were both placed in jail Wednesday in lieu of $10,000 bond each. Monaghan bonded out a few hours after being placed in the jail based on that bond, and Hitechew bonded out on Thursday, according to the Somerset County Jail.

Their preliminary hearings are tentatively scheduled for 10 a.m. June 3 before Seger. A defense attorney for each was not listed in the court docket.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Central City couple charged when verbal argument leads to shots fired