A Schuylkill County man was jailed earlier this week following a domestic dispute in which he allegedly waved a loaded handgun at his stepdaughter and exposed himself several times to her and her boyfriend.
State Police say they were called to a home in North Union Township on Monday afternoon where the alleged victim of this incident told Troopers through their text telephone – because she is deaf – that her stepfather, Ronald Yalch Jr., 48, of Zion Grove, waved a gun near her and exposed himself by dropping his pants and “spread his butt” in front of her.
She allegedly told police that the two had a “small argument” prior to this about her boyfriend moving in to their residence.
During the altercation, Yalch allegedly obtained a handgun, approached the victim, and pulled the slide back in front of her. The victim told police he waved the gun around but did not point it directly at her.
However, the victim’s boyfriend, who is also deaf and was present during the dispute, provided a written statement alleging Yalch did point the gun at the victim because Yalch was upset the boyfriend was supporting her. He claimed that Yalch dropped his pants several times during the argument.
In an interview with police later that afternoon, Yalch allegedly said the argument began because the victim was moving her boyfriend into the residence.
Yalch told police he removed his pants because the victim often wears revealing clothing and her boyfriend had walked around the house shirtless a few days prior, which he found disrespectful. He reportedly told police he wanted to make a statement by dropping his pants, saying “If this is what we’re doing, this is how we’re living, now he’s not gonna have a shirt on … I’m not gonna have pants on.”
As the argument escalated, Yalch told police he retrieved his gun because he did not know what the boyfriend was capable of and feared for his safety, though he acknowledged the boyfriend had not been aggressive or threatening toward him.
Yalch denied pointing the pistol at anyone. He reportedly told police that “because he talks with his hands and was trying to use sign language, the pistol was waving around.”
Yalch reportedly told police he put the gun away in a dresser and put his pants back on. He allegedly admitted to police that introducing the firearm to the situation “doesn’t seem reasonable,” calling it a “bonehead move” and saying, “I should have just went out to the garage without it.”
During a search, police say they seized a Smith & Wesson SD40 VE with 13 rounds of ammunition from an upstairs dresser drawer.
Yalch was arraigned Monday night before Magisterial District Judge Edward Tarantelli on numerous misdemeanor charges of indecent exposure, reckless endangerment, and simple assault, as well as summary counts of harassment.
Tarantelli set bail at $35,000 and remanded Yalch to Schuylkill County Prison. On Wednesday, court records show Yalch was released from custody after he posted bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 11.
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