A Tamaqua man was sent to the Schuylkill County Prison in Pottsville on Dec. 4 after taking his girlfriend to the hospital.

Tamaqua police were called by an emergency room physician at St. Luke's Miners Hospital in Coaldale at 12:45 a.m. The doctor wanted to talk about a female patient who had substantial head and facial injuries.The woman needed treatment, but wanted to go home to 124 Race St., as her boyfriend was at the home, with their three children. She was worried about the children's welfare. The doctor asked officers to go to the home and check on the children. He also noted the patient's injuries were not consistent with her story that she was sitting on the sofa and must have fallen asleep, then fell to the floor.Police went to the home where they found Jerry Feathers, 35, who said he was having trouble dealing with the children and was trying to contact his mother to come and help him. Officers offered to contact the grandmother and Children and Youth. Feathers agreed and said he would be OK for a little while.Police then went to the hospital, where they spoke with the female patient. Initially, she repeated her story about the sofa and falling. When it was pointed out that her injuries were much too severe to have been caused by such a minor fall she admitted that Feathers threw her to the floor, then hit her with something, during an argument. She lost consciousness and woke up covered in blood. Feathers gave her a ride to the hospital, then returned home.Both of her lips were split open, the right side of her face was swollen, and her nose was bleeding uncontrollably. Tests revealed she had a concussion and several broken facial bones. The victim was transferred to the trauma center at St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem.Police were able to contact the grandmother, who went to the children.Feathers was arrested and charged with aggravated and simple assault and harassment. He was arraigned before on-call District Judge James Reilly, of Pottsville, who set bail at $25,000. Unable to post the required 10 percent, Feathers was transported to the county prison.