Police: Man Released From Jail On Bond Returns To Victim's Westmoreland Co. Home, Attempts To Kill Her
MT. PLEASANT TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) - A man who was freed from jail on domestic violence charges is accused of coming back to a woman's home and trying to kill her.
On Friday, state police say 30-year-old John Pisula Jr. was arrested for a domestic dispute. On Saturday, he was released from jail on bond. On Sunday, state police say he came back to the victim's house and assaulted her.
Amanda Cominsky told KDKA's Ross Guidotti that she and Pisula got into an argument last Friday night. Pisula allegedly beat her, someone called the state police and when troopers arrived, they arrested Pisula.
But he was released, only to come back to Cominsky's home Saturday morning where he resumed physically abusing the mother of two. Police say under the bond conditions of his arrest, Pisula wasn't allowed to come to the victim's home.
"It's life or death, it's literally life or death. And in my case, it was almost death," she says. "And I'm glad I got out."
According to the criminal complaint, it was around 10 a.m. Sunday when Pisula came to get car keys from the victim's house on Joyce Drive in Mt. Pleasant Township.
He left immediately, police say, but the victim accuses him of later returning at 11 p.m. That's when a verbal altercation began. The argument escalated, police say, and Pisula is accused of choking Cominsky until she passed out.
When she regained consciousness, the criminal complaint says Pisula assaulted her while she was down.
"He was going to do anything he could to hurt me, or make me pay," she says.
Tonight on KD a young woman beaten, choked and nearly shot tells her unbelievable story of survival and escape from her boyfriend John Pisula! As she told me she had one Chance to save her own life and found courage she though she didn't have! pic.twitter.com/8ylx22TXOa
— Ross Guidotti (@RossGuidotti) January 27, 2020
She was eventually able to stand up, police say. Pisula then allegedly pressed a knife to her back before the argument escalated even more, leading to Pisula allegedly putting a gun to the woman's head and threatening her.
Cominsky says three days of terror ended when Pisula put a rifle to her head and said he was about to commit a murder-suicide.
"I don't know what made him snap, but the gun came out," she says.
According to Cominksy, the father of her children pulled the trigger, but the gun just clicked.
She told KDKA she realized it may be her last chance to stay alive, so she ran, crashing out the back door of her home and running to an armed neighbor's home for safety.
John Pisula is now in the Westmoreland County Jail, charged with multiple felony assault counts and attempted murder. He's being held without bond.
Amanda Cominsky says she's telling her story not because she's courageous, but because she doesn't want any woman or child to have to go through what she endured.
If you are in a situation where you fear for your safety and are a victim of domestic abuse, check out the links below.
Resources for domestic abuse victims:
