Desri Rome arrested again after alleged assault

By Caroline Sweeney
casweeney@pottsmerc.com 

POTTSTOWN — A man who is waiting for his trial to start in the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas was arrested again after an alleged assault, according to police.
Desri J. Rome, 37, of Pottstown, was charged with simple assault and harassment after officers responded to an apartment in the 100 block of North Charlotte Street around 1:35 a.m. on Feb. 19.
According to court paperwork, the victim told police Rome climbed through her bedroom window and allegedly assaulted her. Police said Rome was yelling at the victim before he allegedly slapped her across the face. The victim also told police Rome grabbed her by the back of the neck and threw her into the bathroom where she hit the back of her neck on the toilet.
However, Rome told police the victim gave him permission to come into the apartment.
In his statement to police, Rome said there was another man in the apartment at the time and he only pushed the victim, “when she was grabbing onto (Rome) so the other male could leave the apartment.”
This is the second time Rome has been charged with assault in less than 10 months.
On June 27, 2013, Rome was arrested after a planned fight broke out near the Ricketts Center between two juvenile girls on June 25.
When a video of the fight surfaced on Facebook, police said, Rome could be seen grabbing a 14-year-old spectator by the neck and slamming her head against the trunk of a sliver Infiniti.
Police said the victim and other women could be heard on the video screaming at Rome to stop hurting the teenager.
Rome was charged with one felony count of aggravated assault, one misdemeanor count of simple assault, and other related charges after the June 25 incident.
He posted $50,000 bail on June 29, according to court paperwork, and his trial for those charges is set to begin this Spring.
The alleged incident between Rome and the teenage victim caused a second arrest after what police believe to be an act of retaliation.
Several hours after the fight - demeaned “The Pottstown Royal Rumble” by spectators - Pottstown Police officers responded to a shots fired call at Beech and North Washington streets. When they arrived, officers found a silver Infiniti that matched the one seen in the video.
Police said the car was severely damaged after someone fired shots at the windshield.
Jarrod Jones Jr., 23, of Stowe, was charged with aggravated assault and possession of a prohibited firearm as a result of the incident. His trail in Norristown is also scheduled to start this Spring.  
For his most recent alleged offenses, Rome was arraigned by District Judge Edward C. Kropp Sr. on Feb. 19. Rome was given an unsecured bail of $10,000 and is expected in district court again on Feb. 27 at 8:30 a.m.