Pennsylvania State Trooper Faces Charges for Alleged Abuse of Ex-Girlfriend

A Pennsylvania State Trooper has been arrested and charged with multiple offenses after allegedly abusing his power by assaulting his ex-girlfriend and falsely committing her to a psychiatric facility in late August.

Ronald Keith Davis, a nearly nine-year veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police, faces charges that include strangulation, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, and official oppression, according to the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office. To protect her identity, the victim remains unnamed.

Davis, aged 37, who resides with his family in Dauphin County, was arrested and suspended without pay following the incident, according to a Pennsylvania State Police spokesperson.

The affidavit in support of his arrest revealed that Davis had been in an intimate relationship with the victim and used provisions of the Mental Health Procedures Act to involuntarily commit her. On the day of the incident, while off duty, Davis reported to fellow troopers that his ex-girlfriend was suicidal.

Without waiting for assistance from other troopers, Davis accompanied an acquaintance, who was not in law enforcement, and employed significant force against the woman. The acquaintance recorded the incident, and footage released by the DA’s office shows Davis restraining, assaulting, and strangling his ex-girlfriend in a wooded area along a stone-gravel road.

In the video, the victim repeatedly questions Davis, stating, “What is wrong with you?” She asserts that she does not need help, just to get away from him, and pleads for him to release her. The video captures Davis tackling her to the ground, causing her head to hit the ground and her to gasp for breath, saying, “I can’t breathe.”

Text messages and the video evidence demonstrate that the woman was rational and that the involuntary commitment was unjustified.

During his court arraignment, Magisterial District Judge Rebecca Margerum reviewed the complaint, watched the video, and heard from Davis. After the hearing, the judge ordered Davis to remain incarcerated without bail, stating that no condition or combination of conditions could sufficiently protect the public from him.

Davis’s attorney, Jay Nigrini, filed a motion to secure his client’s release on bail, asserting that Davis sought to help a troubled young woman in need of immediate medical attention.

The trooper is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on his charges on October 2. If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline provides confidential assistance via phone at 800-799-7233 or online to help survivors develop a safety plan.