A Palmerton man is scheduled to go to court following an altercation with his stepson.

Christopher Schaeffer, 44, faces charges on strangulation, simple assault and harassment.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Sgt. Chris Ritter of the borough police department:

At 7:20 p.m. March 28, Ritter was dispatched to a home in the 100 block of Avenue A for a domestic disturbance said to involve a stepfather assaulting his stepson.

Upon arrival, Ritter spoke with the victim, his brother and their mother, who all explained that the stepfather had been in the living room yelling at the mother’s daughter when the stepson told Schaeffer to “shut up.”

Schaeffer responded by grabbing the victim by the throat and pinning him against the wall, making him unable to breathe or speak.

The mother jumped in and pushed Schaeffer away from her son, which in turn led to a struggle between the mother and Schaeffer, in which the victim’s brother intervened to defend his mother.

Schaeffer then fled the home.

The victim was observed to have red marks and scratches on his neck that were consistent with a hand and fingernails.

Schaeffer is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing at 11:15 a.m. Wednesday before District Judge William Kissner of Palmerton.

He is free on $15,000 unsecured bail.