Protection order against officer of the year withdrawn
- A PFA filed against Southwestern Regional Police Officer Bryn Lindenmuth was withdrawn Thursday.
- He remains on paid leave and is criminally charged in the alleged domestic assault.
An emergency protection from abuse order against a Southwestern Regional police officer has been withdrawn, according to court records.
A hearing had been scheduled for Thursday afternoon to make the emergency PFA permanent, but the plaintiff — the wife of Officer Bryn Lindenmuth — filed a motion to withdraw her request, which presiding Common Pleas Judge Michael W. Flannelly granted Thursday, records state.
Lindenmuth, who was named York County's 2015 officer of the year, remains charged with simple assault, false imprisonment and harassment. He is free on $25,000 unsecured bail, meaning he didn't have to post any money but could forfeit that amount if he misses court proceedings.
Attorney Penny Ayers, who represents the officer's wife, Kalina Lindenmuth, said her client appeared in court today.
"After much thought given to family, she's very happy to put this to rest and she's very much looking forward to working on taking care of her family," Ayers said.
Privacy sought: The attorney declined to discuss specifics about the Lindenmuths' current marital status.
"They're asking for some modicum of privacy at this point to heal," Ayers said.
"I'm pleased with the outcome of today's proceeding," said attorney Chris Ferro, who represents the officer. He declined additional comment.
Bryn Lindenmuth remains on unpaid leave. He was placed on leave immediately after the alleged incident, Southwestern Regional Police Chief Greg Bean has said.
After an internal investigation, Southwestern Regional's police board will make a decision about any disciplinary action, Bean has said.
The allegations: According to charging documents, the officer physically assaulted Kalina Lindenmuth in their West Manchester Township home July 17.
She returned home from a cookout the night before, on July 16, after which Bryn Lindenmuth took her keys and yelled at her, documents state.
He followed her inside while still yelling, then took her cellphone, ripped her tank top and bra, scratched her and tore apart her sandals, charging documents allege. He also ripped up photos of the two of them together, police said.
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Bryn Lindenmuth pushed over a recliner while his wife was sitting in it, pushed her and tried to throw her through a sliding-glass door, documents state.
"Bryn used substantial force using his elbow and jammed it down hard on her shoulder in an attempt to knock her down," charging documents state.
In the garage: The officer tried to lock his wife in their garage, telling her she could sleep there as he turned out the lights, documents state. But he returned to the garage and tried to force Kalina Lindenmuth into the passenger seat of their vehicle, according to allegations.
She tried to get back inside their home, but her husband "kept blocking her path and grabbed her arms and started to force her backward to possibly fall down the steps," charging documents state.
Kalina Lindenmuth was able to run to a neighbor's home, where she used their phone to call 911, police said. They allege the domestic incident lasted from about 11 p.m. until 3 a.m.
She told officers she was scared of what her husband might do if she called police, documents state.
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An officer helped her obtain an emergency PFA that night, according to documents.
About the officer: Bryn Lindenmuth was named 2015 York County Officer of the Year in May by the York County Police Heritage Museum.
He has been with Southwestern Regional Police for 11 years; during that time he received 21 awards or commendations.
He also is a drug-recognition expert and a member of the York County Drug Task Force, serving as a liaison for his department, officials have said.
— Reach Liz Evans Scolforo at levans@yorkdispatch.com or on Twitter at @LizScolforoYD.