Executive Summary
- David Strause II was arrested after a multi-hour standoff with Pennsylvania State Police on February 3.
- Strause faces charges of aggravated assault after allegedly firing a gun as his wife fled their home.
- The defendant is currently awaiting a March trial for the 2024 involuntary manslaughter of his infant son.
- Authorities state the infant died of asphyxia complications due to unsafe sleep practices.
A 43-year-old Pennsylvania man, currently awaiting trial for the involuntary manslaughter of his infant son, was taken into custody Tuesday morning following an armed standoff with state police in Bethel Township. David Strause II faces new charges including aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, and disorderly conduct following the incident.
According to the Lebanon County District Attorney’s Office, troopers were dispatched to a residence on Mountain Drive at approximately 1:30 a.m. on February 3 regarding an active domestic assault. Authorities report that the altercation ensued after Strause and his wife returned home from a local establishment where Strause had allegedly consumed alcohol.
Investigators state that as the victim attempted to flee the residence in her vehicle, she heard a sound consistent with a gunshot. A subsequent inspection of the vehicle revealed damage consistent with gunfire, according to the District Attorney’s release. The victim was not physically struck by the gunfire.
The Pennsylvania State Police, supported by the Aviation Unit and the Special Emergency Response Team (SERT), established a perimeter around the home. Officials stated that Strause refused to exit for several hours, necessitating road closures in the surrounding area. State police successfully negotiated his surrender at approximately 9 a.m.
Strause is already the subject of pending legal proceedings regarding the death of his 3-month-old son, Gavin Strause, in May 2024. Police allege the infant was found unresponsive in a crib containing loose items, including blankets and a lounger, which contradicted safe sleep educational materials provided to the parents. The Dauphin County Coroner determined the child died from complications of asphyxia.
Court documents indicate that Strause’s trial for the involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment charges related to his son’s death is scheduled to commence the week of March 23 before Lebanon County Court of Common Pleas Judge Bradford Charles.
Legal and Procedural Implications
The accumulation of violent felony charges while a defendant is awaiting trial for a separate homicide-related offense presents significant judicial complexities. Prosecutors may cite the alleged firearm use and the domestic nature of the standoff to argue for revoked bail or stricter pre-trial detention measures regarding the pending manslaughter case. This development places the defendant in a precarious legal position as the court must now address two distinct criminal dockets involving serious threats to life. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
