A Luzerne County man has been charged after holding a woman hostage in an attempt to learn his ex-girlfriend’s whereabouts.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by patrolman William Curilla of the McAdoo Police Department in the case against Matthew Bittner:

At 12:12 a.m. Oct. 8, officer Curilla of the McAdoo Police Department was dispatched to a home in the 200 block of East Grant Street for a report of a male there with a firearm holding someone hostage.

Upon arrival the victim answered the door and pointed to a male standing in the living room.

Curilla inquired about a gun and the male, later identified as Bittner, 43, of Hazleton, who said he did have one and told Curilla he did have one on his right hip and to take it.

Curilla took the firearm and then took Bittner into custody until Curilla could figure out what was going on.

Curilla then spoke to the victim who said that Bittner had been texting her because he wanted to speak to his now ex-girlfriend, who had just ended things with him, blocked his number on her phone, and didn’t want to have contact with him.

Bittner knew that the victim and ex-wife were friends and told her he wanted to speak to her and find out where she was at.

The victim showed Curilla text messages purported to be from Bittner stating that he was going to come to her house, but that the victim told him not to.

The victim said that a little later she heard a knock on the door and then Bittner entered her residence, but she did not allow him to come in and did not want him there.

Bittner then started to threaten the victim about his ex-girlfriend wanting to know where she was, and when the victim told him she did know where his ex-girlfriend was, Bittner attempted to grab her phone.

The victim then locked her phone so if Bittner got it, he could not gain access to it.

At that point, the victim said Bittner lifted his shirt and pulled out his gun, stating, “I’m not playing.”

The victim said Bittner did not point the gun at her, but he had it out, and she said Bittner made threats to shoot her dad.

Curilla inspected the gun and found it was a Beta Arms Inc. .380 caliber handgun.

A records check shows no record of the gun or ownership, and Bittner has no license to carry a firearm.

Bittner was also found to have an active warrant out of the Schuylkill County Detective’s Office.

Curilla then transported Bittner to the McAdoo police station.

Bittner faces charges of firearms not to be carried without license; criminal trespass - enter structure; terroristic threats with intent to terrorize another; and simple assault.

He is currently incarcerated in the Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of $50,000 monetary bail, and scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Nov. 17 before District Judge Stephen J. Bayer of Tamaqua.