Despite plea for leniency, Donora man gets up to 30 years for attack on girlfriend in Hunker

A Donora man was sentenced Monday to serve up to 30 years in prison for the assault and strangulation of his pregnant girlfriend.

Travis Magash, 33, was convicted after a three-day jury trial in May in connection with the attack against 25-year-old Danielle Rose Thompson at her home in Hunker.

Prosecutors said Magash threw Thompson, who was seven months pregnant, on to a couch and repeatedly hit her in the head, face and mouth in June 2018. He then choked her unconscious and attempted to revive her in a bathtub, according to trial testimony.

In court on Monday, Thompson said the baby she had with Magash, now 1, was not injured but that she and her older child still deal with the emotional scars.

“I want to believe Travis still loves me,” Thompson said. “Him getting out right now isn’t the best thing. He should be able to take responsibility for his actions.”

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rita Hathaway ordered Magash to serve 10 to 30 years in prison. The judge said she considered Magash’s long criminal record, including assault and child pornography convictions, and a protection from abuse claim filed by his former wife

“Your presentence investigation took my breath away looking at your history. Miss Thompson is lucky to be alive and it looks to me that, time after time, you were given opportunities to change and you didn’t,” Hathaway said.

Magash asked for leniency.

“I have a 9-year-old girl who is actually the only person who cares about me … I just want to get back to her. There is no reason to punish this little girl,” Magash said.