Troopers accuse Unity man of screwing doors shut to keep woman from fleeing after fight

A Unity man is accused of screwing doors shut at his home to keep a woman he allegedly assaulted on New Year’s Day from leaving, state police reported.

Irvin Scott Achhammer, 27, is accused of pushing a woman into a banister and hitting her with a cigarette lighter during an argument around 3 p.m. Friday inside his home on Route 982 near Baggaley, Trooper Nicholas Moore said in court documents. When the woman threatened to leave because she feared further abuse, she told troopers Achhammer retrieved a drill “to screw all the doors shut to prevent the victim from fleeing the residence,” Moore reported.

Achhammer was arrested Saturday on charges of harassment and unlawful restraint filed.

Moore said the woman went to the state police barracks in Greensburg on Saturday to file a report, saying she had to wait until Achhammer fell asleep in order to call for help and leave.

In 2017, state police arrested Achhammer on charges of harassment, simple assault and strangulation for attacking a woman, according to court records. He pleaded guilty Jan. 22, 2019, and was sentenced to serve 6 to 23 months in jail, records show. Harassment and strangulation charges were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

Court records indicate he was paroled in September.

In 2014, Achhammer served six days in the county jail for violating a protection from abuse order, court records show.

He has an extensive record dating back to 2012 in the county for burglary, minor drug violations and theft, according to online court dockets.

Court records indicate Achhammer has another preliminary hearing scheduled Jan. 18 before Unity District Judge Michael Mahady on a theft charge filed last year.

In the new case, Achhammer was ordered held in the county jail on $50,000 bond, according to online court dockets.

He did not have an attorney listed in court documents.