A pair of Schuylkill County siblings were jailed earlier this month following a reported family squabble over picking up kids at school turned violent.
According to court records, police in Shenandoah were called to a home on W. New York St. on Sept. 5 for a reported domestic dispute. Police say the altercation they were investigating began over an argument among family members regarding picking up children from school that day.
The argument turned physical at some point when police say Johnny Montanez Jr., 23, came downstairs and began arguing with his sister, Avianna, 26.
Montanez Jr. reportedly told police that his sister swung at him and missed but then attacked their mother. During that scuffle, Montanez Jr. allegedly told police that he grabbed his sister and put her in a chokehold. He said he did this just to get her to stop attacking their mother.
However, Avianna said she couldn’t breathe and heard a cracking or crunching noise while she was in the chokehold.
After Montanez Jr. let his sister out of the chokehold, Avianna reportedly ran to a bedroom and grabbed a baseball bat and started to swing it at her brother and mother.
Montanez Jr. reportedly told police that his sister hit their mother in the head, arm, and body. Avianna told police she only wanted to scare her brother and mother with the bat because they kept charging at her and struck her mother on the shoulder. She also allegedly admitted to pulling her mother’s hair and punching her arm.
She then said that her brother had placed her in a second chokehold until she bit him on the arm.
A neighbor reportedly intervened and helped break up the fight, police report.
Both Montanez Jr. and his sister were arraigned before Magisterial District Judge David Plachko.
Avianna Montanez has been charged with simple assault and harassment. Plachko set bail at 10% of $25,000.
Montanez Jr. was charged with strangulation and harassment and Plachko set the same bail for him.
Court records show that bail has not been posted for either sibling.
Both siblings were remanded to Schuylkill County Prison and preliminary hearings are scheduled for Sept. 25 before Judge Anthony Kilker.
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