Police: HIV positive man attacked, bled on woman

GREENE TOWNSHIP - A Chambersburg man is in Franklin County jail this week after police say he assaulted a woman, both physically and by spilling his HIV-positive blood all over her body.

James Clinton Houser, 37, is charged with aggravated assault, terroristic threats, simple assault, reckless endangerment and a summary offense of harassment, according to court documents. 

Police responded to a call for a domestic violence incident around 5:30 a.m. Oct. 3, with Houser first telling police that a woman attacked him. The woman had fled a Greene Township home, but Houser warned that his blood was all over the house and he was HIV positive.

Police said they eventually located the woman, who said that she was at a residence on Sterling Bridge Road that morning when Houser arrived. The two began arguing, and the woman said Houser pushed her backwards into a chair.

The woman told police that Houser slapped her face multiple times, leaving bruises. She attempted to stand up, but was shoved to the ground again, police said.

Houser then allegedly picked up a broken glass fish, raised it above his head and threatened to hit her, according to court documents. When he picked up the fish, Houser was cut badly enough that he needed stitches, which police observed at the scene. 

Houser sat on her, bleeding all over her face, chest and legs, which police could see when they spoke with her.

The woman said that she was able to get up at one point and leave the room and attempted to put shoes on, according to court documents. Houser again sat on her, bleeding on her again and raising the broken glass fish while threatening to hit her.

Houser let the woman up, so she went to the kitchen to get her car keys, but Houser followed and hit her again, causing her to fall. When she got up and tried to leave, Houser attempted to block her from getting into her car.

She eventually was able to leave the scene.

Police wrote in court documents that Houser dripped contaminated blood onto the woman "in sufficient amount to transmit the disease," according to court documents.

Houser is being held at Franklin County Jail on $100,000 bail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 11.

Becky Metrick, 717-262-4762