Police: Rochester man punched kids in cigarette fight

ROCHESTER, Pa. (AP) — A western Pennsylvania man has been jailed on charges he punched his 14-month-old daughter while arguing over cigarette money with his wife, and with punching her 6-year-old daughter when she tried to break up the fight.

Online court records don't list an attorney for 35-year-old Darren Finch, of Rochester, who faces a preliminary hearing Thursday on simple assault, child endangerment and other charges stemming from the Jan. 3 dispute.

The Beaver County Times reports Finch's wife told police he was angry when he refused to give him money for cigarettes and began choking her about 2:20 a.m. The woman says she was holding the toddler when Finch twice punched the child twice while trying to hit the woman. Finch allegedly punched the other little girl in the mouth when she tried to intervene.

Finch remained jailed Monday.

WPXI