Courts.
Police: Austin Gehman, formerly of Hatfield, told woman "the only way she was leaving was with a bullet in her head"
In July 2025, a Perkiomen Township husband and father, formerly from Hatfield, pointed a gun at his son and wife, telling her, “The only way you’re leaving is with a bullet in your head.”
Now, nine months later, Austin S. Gehman, 41, of Seitz Road, admitted doing it to Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Steven T. O’Neill Tuesday, pleading guilty to felony charges of strangulation and unlawful restraint of a minor, as well as misdemeanor charges of terrorism and assault by menace.
Gehman now awaits a future sentencing.
“I did what I did, yes,” Gehman told O’Neill at the status conference, according to The Mercury. Gehman was scheduled for a jury trial in a few days.
Per the report, the victims were in the courtroom, supported by relatives and victim advocates, to witness Gehman’s admission. O’Neill deferred sentencing so that court officials can complete a background investigation report about Gehman, who will undergo drug, alcohol and mental health evaluations, according to The Mercury.
Per court testimony, the victims have an active protection-from-abuse order in place against Gehman.
Assistant District Attorney Erin Kathleen Russell told The Mercury she is pushing for a 3- to 6-year state prison term for Gehman. However, Gehman’s defense attorney, George M. Griffith Jr., will seek a 20- to 26-month prison sentence, which places him in the possibility of incarceration at Montgomery County jail instead.
“What he did to the family is every single person’s worst nightmare. The nature of this crime is absolutely egregious. It is one of the more serious cases of domestic violence that I have seen. It was a scary situation to be in,” Russell told the newspaper.
Griffith called his client a “standup” guy for taking responsibility and not nickel and diming the court.
“Austin is a standup client. Many clients try to evade responsibility, try to nickel and dime the court system; he is not that guy. He understands the gravity of the situation, and I’m 100% sure that if he could re-live it, he would have chosen a different route,” Griffith told The Mercury.
On July 21, 2025 at 10:01 p.m., troopers were called to Seitz Road in Perkiomen Township by a neighbor for a report of a man threatening another person with a gun, per the affidavit.
After arrival, two victims fled the home, “appeared terrified,” and ran toward troopers, screaming that Gehman had a gun, according to the complaint.
A witness at the scene told police that Gehman had fled out the back door of the home into the woods and that he was in possession of a 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol, police said.
More troopers arrived on scene and set up a perimeter, along with local law enforcement. A police drone was used to find the fleeing Gehman in the woods, a few hundred yards from the home, police alleged.
He was taken into custody without incident, and police found a black and brown 9mm handgun near a tree, police said. The gun was loaded with one in the chamber, according to police..
After being read his rights, Gehman admitted the gun was near a tree in the woods, where police found it, according to the complaint.
He told police he got into an argument with the victims and then declined to answer further questions regarding an assault, according to the affidavit.
Victims told police they were assaulted due to one of the victim’s passwords being changed on their phone, according to the complaint. One of the victims was also pushed down rear deck steps by Gehman into the backyard and suffered bruising and finger marks on their cheek.
After the assault occurred in the backyard, Gehman pulled the pistol out and pushed it against the victim’s forehead, threatening to kill them. He then allegedly pointed it at the second victim’s head and threatened to kill them.
One victim attempted to flee the home via the front door, but Gehman, armed with the gun, blocked the door with his body and intimidated the victim with the gun, stating the only way they were leaving, “was with a bullet in (the) head.”
Once troopers arrived on scene, both victims were able to reach safety.
During the incident, a juvenile was sleeping in the home, police said.
The victim told police that Gehman had acted this way before, but the behavior was not previously reported until the victim became scared they were going to die, police said in the complaint.
Gehman remains jailed in Montgomery County on $99,000 cash bail, reduced from $150,000 cash bail per a Common Pleas court order, ahead of sentencing, which has yet to be scheduled.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
