Girard man arraigned on felonious assault, domestic violence charges

Staff report

NILES

Nicholas A. Chronister, 30, of Patricia Drive, Girard, was arraigned Monday in municipal court on felonious assault and domestic-violence charges, accused of shooting his 26-year-old girlfriend in the face with a BB gun Thursday.

Chronister and the victim told Warren police robbers shot her and him on Kenilworth Street Southeast near Youngstown Road while robbing him of $187 and his watch. Chronister had BB-shot wounds to the hand.

But the woman, who had BB-shot injuries to both sides of her face, mouth, forehead and right wrist, went to Niles police the next day and told them Chronister did it at a home on Neil Street in Niles.

She said he did it after she told him to leave. She said he asked her to have sex with him but she refused. He then shot her and shot himself in the hand and took her to the hospital, telling her to tell police it happened during a drug deal.

She told Niles police Chronister threw the BB gun along state Route 169. Weathersfield police recovered it.

No plea was entered on the felonious assault. A not-guilty plea was entered on the domestic-violence charge. Bond was set at $125,000 on the two charges, and the judge issued a protection order forbidding Chronister to have contact with the victim.