WEST GOSHEN TWP, PA — A former West Goshen Township police officer faces strangulation, assault and drunken driving charges after allegedly attacking his wife at their Chester County home and attempting to drive away while intoxicated, according to court documents reviewed by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Michael Meredith, 57, was arrested Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026, following a domestic incident at a residence on Saint James Road in West Goshen Township.
According to an affidavit of probable cause obtained by The Philadelphia Inquirer, police responded to the residence around 6 p.m. after Meredith’s wife called 911 to report an assault.
When officers arrived, Meredith had left the residence, and his wife had locked herself inside a bedroom.
The woman told investigators that Meredith had struck her in the face without provocation before climbing on top of her and pressing his forearm against her neck for approximately 10 seconds.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the woman reported fearing for her life and feeling as though she might lose consciousness during the alleged assault.
Investigators documented a cut on her lip and discoloration around her neck, according to the affidavit.
Officers subsequently located Meredith sitting inside a vehicle near the residence.
Police reported detecting the odor of alcohol and described Meredith as “lethargic” and “unsteady on his feet,” according to court documents cited by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Investigators also alleged that Meredith had driven over shrubbery near the residence before officers located him.
Meredith was charged with strangulation, simple assault and driving under the influence.
He was arraigned Monday, Nov. 9, and released on $100,000 unsecured bail.
Meredith previously served as an officer with the West Goshen Township Police Department. The Chester County District Attorney’s Office confirmed his former employment but did not identify when his service ended.
However, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Meredith appeared in a photograph published on the police department’s Facebook page in early October.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 20.
For additional reporting and details from the court documents, read the full article in The Philadelphia Inquirer at https://www.inquirer.com/crime/west-goshen-police-officer-arrest-dui-20261110.html
All suspects, arrestees, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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