Charges dismissed against woman punched by former Butler Twp. officer

She pleaded guilty to a failure to disclose identity charge, a fourth-degree misdemeanor, according to court documents.

On Jan. 16, 2023, Butler Twp. police responded to the McDonald’s at 3411 York Commons Blvd. on a disorderly customer complaint. Hancock and a restaurant employee reportedly got into an argument over a charge for extra cheese on a Big Mac.

The store asked Sgt. Todd Stanley and officer Tim Zellers to trespass Hancock from the restaurant. When they asked Hancock to provide her identification, she refused.

After the incident got more heated, police decided to arrest Hancock. Body camera footage showed a struggle between officers and Hancock, during which Stanley hit Hancock the on right side of her face.

Stanley described the action as an “open palm strike,” in the arrest report.

He was found guilty of assault, a first-degree misdemeanor, in September last year. He left the Butler Twp. Police Department in April after 22 years of service.