Man says he hit dentist to get prison dental care

ERIE, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania man says he assaulted his dentist with a tire iron because he couldn’t afford dental treatment and knew he’d get it in prison.

The Erie Times-News (http://bit.ly/1w8Prej) reports 30-year-old Philip Kienholz offered the explanation Tuesday when he was sentenced to 16 months to four years in state prison.

The Erie man had pleaded guilty but mentally ill in September to charges of aggravated assault and possessing an instrument of crime.

Erie police say Kienholz cornered the dentist while he was treating a juvenile patient, then hit the doctor in the wrist with the tire iron before running away. At the time, police said Kienholz indicated he attacked the dentist because he was angry that the dentist wanted to prescribe antibiotics rather than pull an infected tooth.

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Information from: Erie Times-News, http://www.goerie.com

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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