A Schuylkill County man is facing charges after police say he pulled a pellet gun on his girlfriend’s son during an argument.
According to court documents, Troopers from State Police-Frackville were dispatched to a home on Market St. in Ashalnd on May 28 for a report of an assault.
Inside, police say they spoke with the alleged victim of this incident who said that the suspect – identified as Philip Diehl Sr., 56, of Ashland – was harassing me trying to get him to talk to him. Diehl is in a relationship with the victim’s mother.
The victim reportedly told Diehl he didn’t want to talk but Diehl was not accepting of that response and began to shove the victim. Diehl then allegedly punched the victim and then pulled a gun out and pointed it at the victim.
“I got the gun now, you gonna do something,” Diehl reportedly asked the victim.
When police spoke to Diehl, he said that he only wanted to speak with the victim about problems they’d been having. He reportedly told police, “He threatened to kick my ass and I wanted to do was talk to him. He came at me and I had the gun in my hand and I’m losing my mind. I threatened him and said I would shoot him.”
Diehl reportedly admitted to pointing the gun at the victim.
When police retrieved the gun allegedly used in this incident, they learned that it was a pellet gun and had 16 pellets loaded in it.
Last week, police filed misdemeanor charges of making terroristic threats, reckless endangerment, and simple assault, as well as a summary offense of harassment against Diehl.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Aug. 13 before District Magistrate Judge Edward Tarantelli.
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