An argument about the volume of an animated cartoon show on television resulted in the arrest of a Unity Township man this week for allegedly attacking his father.
State police charged Johnathan W. Owens, 22, with harassment, reckless endangerment, simple assault and strangulation following the incident that occurred around 7:20 a.m. Monday at the Cemetery Road home Owens shares with his father, Thomas Owens.
The younger Owens was arraigned before Washington Township District Judge Jason Buczak and ordered held in the Westmoreland County Prison on $50,000 bail. He remained locked up Wednesday, according to online jail records.
Police were informed of the domestic incident after the father was treated for a laceration on an ear at Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg, Trooper Troy Faulk reported.
Thomas Owens told troopers that his son was watching a cartoon show called “My Hero”, when the father asked him to turn down the volume.
“Johnathan became irate. (Thomas) Owens then unplugged the television,” Faulk reported in court documents.
Johnathan Owens punched his father “approximately 10 times,” causing a cut to his earlobe that required medical treatment, Faulk said.
After the assault, the younger Owens approached his father from behind and “applying pressure to the victim’s throat using the ‘sleeper hold’, causing the victim to lose consciousness and to gasp for oxygen,” Faulk reported.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled Jan. 13 before Unity Township District Judge Michael Mahady.
