A Schuylkill County man pulled his paraplegic son out of a wheelchair and pinned him to the floor during a fight inside their home, State Police say.
Timothy Rothermel, 59, of Klingerstown, is charged with striking a care-dependent person, a first-degree misdemeanor, along with simple assault and harassment.
Troopers from State Police-Schuylkill Haven were dispatched shortly before 1 a.m. on July 24 to a home on Vista Rd. in Upper Mahantango Township for a report of an active domestic incident between a father and son.
According to police, the victim said Rothermel came home after drinking at the VFW, and that he anticipated an argument would follow. The victim was seated in his wheelchair in his bedroom getting dressed when Rothermel walked into the room, police say. The victim asked him to leave while he finished dressing.
Rothermel returned to the bedroom and began yelling at the victim, according to police. The victim then called his mother and a cousin to come pick him up, police say.
Rothermel briefly calmed down, but became aggressive again when he realized the victim had turned off the Wi-Fi at the residence, police say. Rothermel entered the bedroom a third time and sat on the bed while the victim sat nearby in his wheelchair, according to police.
The victim told police the physical altercation started when Rothermel smacked him in the face, leaving bruising on the left side of his lower lip. It escalated when Rothermel grabbed him by the shirt, pulled him out of the wheelchair, and pinned him to the floor, police say.
A cousin tried to pull Rothermel off the victim but was unsuccessful, police say. The victim then struck Rothermel in the forehead with a closed fist to free himself, according to police.
Troopers reported seeing recent abrasions on the right side of the victim’s neck and forehead, along with a bruised right ear. Police also noted what they described as a defensive wound on the victim’s right hand, a loss of skin to the knuckle of his middle finger. The victim told police he is paralyzed from the chest down.
Rothermel had a bleeding contusion on his forehead and refused medical treatment, police say. He twice told a trooper he had “no comment” on the incident, according to police, but stated he was “sick and tired of sitting here paying all the f***ing bills, doing everything.”
Based on the victim’s injuries, the defensive wound, and the single injury to Rothermel, investigators determined Rothermel was the aggressor and that the victim acted in self-defense, police say. Rothermel was taken into custody.
Police said Rothermel’s statement about paying the bills and “doing everything” showed he had voluntarily assumed an obligation to provide care for the victim through a familial relationship, making the victim a care-dependent person under state law.
Rothermel was arraigned July 24 before Magisterial District Judge Anthony Kilker, who set bail at $25,000, which was posted the same day.
A preliminary hearing scheduled for Thursday before Judge James Reiley.
Schuylkill County Crisis & Support Resources
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse or sexual violence, free, confidential, and inclusive help is available 24/7 in Schuylkill County.
- Schuylkill Hope Center (Domestic Violence): Call the 24/7 hotline at (570) 622-6220, text HOPELINE to 20121, or visit schopecenter.org. Services include emergency shelter, housing assistance, counseling, and legal representation.
- SARCC (Sexual Assault): Call the 24/7 hotline at (570) 628-2965 or visit sarccheals.org for counseling, advocacy, and healing support for survivors of sexual violence.
- Outside Schuylkill County: Residents across Pennsylvania can find their local domestic violence program at pcadv.org. You can also visit domesticshelters.org to find resources near you.
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