Woman arrested for allegedly bludgeoning her husband with Jesus plaque

A woman from Hartford, Washington County, faces numerous charges after she allegedly bludgeoned her husband with a wooden plaque with a picture of Jesus Christ on it, then threatened responding state troopers with an 8-foot-long tree branch, authorities said. State Police used a Taser to disarm Laura A. Fraley, 51, during a Saturday afternoon confrontation in front of her home, officials said.

Troopers responded to her home after her husband, whose name was not released, fled the residence after being attacked shortly before 2 pm and called 911. Troopers Jason Gutowski and Aaron Mound got to the home to find Fraley out front, waving a large tree branch toward the troopers and refusing to put it down, State Police Investigator Kevin Reppenhagen said.



She refused to drop the weapon, and after she was shot with a Taser and dropped the branch, continued to fight with troopers before they got her into custody. The victim was hit seven to 10 times with the plaque, and suffered facial and head cuts and bruises as well as a possible broken finger, according to State Police. He was treated at the scene. The two were arguing because she wanted the victim to convert to the Mormon church, Reppenhagen said.

At some point, her husband mentioned an ex-boyfriend of Fraley’s, which further angered her, police said. “She made a comment that she hit him with a plaque of Jesus because she thought he was the devil,” Reppenhagen said. Fraley was charged with second-degree assault, a felony, and misdemeanor counts of criminal possession of a weapon, menacing, resisting arrest and criminal mischief. She was arraigned and sent to Washington County Jail without bail.