Local man charged in assault
A 31-year-old Fairchance man was charged with aggravated assault and a host of other charges after he allegedly broke into his mother-in-law’s home, removed his pants and held her at gunpoint Nov. 28. State police said Howard Leslie Layhue II of 27 Oak St., Fairchance, was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, burglary, terroristic threats, unlawful restraint and recklessly endangering another person before Magisterial District Judge Joseph M. George Jr. following the bizarre incident.
According to trooper Matthew Gavrish, Layhue broke into the Morgantown Road home of Kimberly DeLorenzo, 44, of Uniontown, took off his pants and held her at gunpoint with a rifle, while wielding a knife.
Police said DeLorenzo is the mother of Layhue’s wife, whom Layhue separated from about three weeks before the incident.
Gavrish said in the criminal complaint filed in the case that around 1:30 a.m. Nov. 28, Layhue broke into the home through a basement window and then proceeded to DeLorenzo’s bedroom.
DeLorenzo told police that she awoke to find Layhue at the foot of her bed with no pants on holding a rifle and a knife, police said.
Gavrish said Layhue pointed the rifle at DeLorenzo’s head and threatened to kill her and then ordered her to put her hands behind her back so he could tape them up.
DeLorenzo refused and began to talk to Layhue, police said, and was able to calm him down until he agreed to leave the house.
After he left, DeLorenzo called police.
Layhue remains in the Fayette County Prison on $25,000 bond.