Woman Attacked With Shovel, Narberth Police Say

A Narberth man was arrested Saturday night and charged with attacking a woman with a shovel in the basement of a former borough church, police said.

James R. Swift, 53, was arraigned Sunday, released on $5,000 bail and will have a preliminary hearing at 1:30 p.m. May 8 in magisterial district court in Ardmore, court records show.

Sgt. Robert Yantorno said Swift and the victim have each been working out of the closed Baptist Church of the Evangel just south of the Narberth Avenue bridge.

The victim told police she tried to enter the building about 7 p.m. Saturday and found that only the basement door was open. After she encountered Swift and they had a dispute, he struck her three or four times with a shovel, she told police.

The victim did not require medical attention at the scene or transportation to a hospital, Yantorno said.

The Main Line Times reported that borough officials in January banned the woman from the building for an unapproved business use and that Swift could face the same fate.