A 38-year-old woman who is suspected of shooting at police during a standoff Thursday night outside her Middle Paxton Township home had her bail revoked by a Dauphin County judge on Friday.
Samantha Atherholt’s bail in two prior criminal cases—one for assaulting officers and refusing arrest in October—was terminated by the orders against her. The court documents verified that she is hospitalized with at least one gunshot wound and included further information about what led to the standoff.
According to court documents, police were summoned to her residence in the 400 block of Fried Drive at around 2:00 p.m. on Thursday after receiving complaints of a guy bothering residents by going up and down the street. The man turned out to be Atherholt’s lover, Michael Danilshenko.
When a trooper showed up, Atherholt called the Harrisburg state police station and said she would give the trooper a warning shot.
She was also seen by a trooper in a window brandishing a weapon and threatening to fire a warning shot.
The court record states that she then fired a shot at 2:14 p.m.
Danilshenko and a female relative were taken out of the house by state police after they set up a perimeter. The house was attended to by a tactical team. She resided there with her mother and boyfriend, according to the neighbors.
According to authorities, Atherholt fired several bullets at state police officers in a BearCat vehicle at around 5:30 p.m. Atherholt was struck by a tactical officer’s retaliation.
In the order, Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo stated that the defendant would be charged with her actions if she survived her injuries. He noted that assault of a law enforcement official is one of the offenses.
After being arrested in October, Atherholt was out on $100,000 bail at the time of the shooting. The hospital must inform prosecutors if they intend to discharge or transfer Atherholt, or if she passes away from her injuries, according to the judge’s order signed on Friday, which also revoked her bond.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, the October incident transpired as follows: At 8:20 a.m. on October 16, Corporal Chad Miler of the Lower Paxton Township Police Department, along by two other officers, a detective, and a K-9 partner, arrived at Atherton’s residence to serve a warrant related to an August incident. The door was answered by Michael Danilshenko, who verified that she was inside the house.
Miller added that Atherholt was not complying, so the detective requested him to come inside, but he stayed outside. Miller claimed that after they were inside, Atherholt was sitting upright in a big bed and would not get out.
According to the affidavit, Atherholt was protesting when the cops pulled her to the ground and shackled her arms behind her back. Miller claimed that as they got to their feet, Atherholt kicked the detective in the right knee/shin area and kneed one of the cops in the left leg while trying to hit him in the groin.
According to the affidavit, cops restrained Atherholt while she struggled and flailed as they brought her to the ground a second time. Miller claimed that Atherholt, who was angry and shouting at the cops and Danilshenko the entire time, was restrained by leg shackles.
According to the affidavit, Danilshenko attempted to kick Atherholt when the police requested her to assist in putting his shoes on.
Miller claimed that as they were leaving the house, Atherholt grabbed a decorative wooden object from her and took it from the wall. They grabbed her up and brought her to a patrol car after she attempted to hold herself against the wall as well. Miller claimed that the incident caused his cellphone’s screen protector to break and crack.
After being brought to the Dauphin County Booking Center, Atherholt was accused of criminal mischief, aggravated assault, and resisting arrest. On October 21, she used a bondsman to post $100,000 bail.
Atherholt was charged on August 13 with criminal mischief and property damage, which led to the October event. She flipped couches, knocked over shelves, and yelled at an Xfinity store located at 5094 Jonestown Road in Lower Paxton Township, according to the Lower Paxton Township Police Department.
Court filings calculated damages at approximately $11,160. For that case, she paid a separate $10,000 bond on October 21. Preliminary hearings for both instances were set for February 6.
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