CLARION BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) — A father and son are facing criminal charges following an altercation that occurred on Thursday at a residence in Clarion Borough.

Court documents indicate the Clarion Borough Police Department filed criminal charges against 40-year-old David Anthony Cook, of Clarion, and 21-year-old Michael David Cook, of Coraopolis, on Thursday, July 9.

According to a criminal complaint, around 12:20 a.m. on July 9, Clarion Borough Police were dispatched to a residence on East 8th Avenue for a report of a domestic disturbance and were advised there had been a prior domestic incident at the residence with weapons involved.

At the scene, police found a Dodge pickup running in the driveway and heard yelling coming from the area of the porch of the residence. They then saw a man in the front yard and ordered the man to the ground. The man, who was later identified as Michael Cook, allegedly went to his knees and then to his stomach and was then placed in handcuffs and detained, the complaint states.

M. Cook was breathing heavily and was extremely sweaty, and police had to help him sit up to make it easier for him to breathe. He was then frisked, and no weapons were found, according to the complaint.

When questioned, M. Cook stated he and his father, David Cook, who was still in the residence, had been in a physical altercation. He told police he had started the altercation by pushing his father, and it then escalated, the complaint states.

Clarion University Police then arrived at the scene to assist, and the officers heard more yelling from the porch of the residence and observed another man on the porch. They could hear a woman yelling at the man to leave.

The man, later identified as David Cook, was then ordered off of the porch and was also placed into handcuffs and detained. He was then frisked, and no weapons were found.

Police observed D. Cook had swelling under his right eye and a large blood blister on the back of his hand, and also noted a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, the complaint notes.

According to the complaint, when questioned, D. Cook admitted to drinking liquor and also said he was on probation in Allegheny County. He told police he was in a physical altercation with his son, M. Cook. He was then placed in the back of a police cruiser. He reportedly consented to a Portable Breath Test (PBT). The test read positive for the presence of alcohol, the complaint indicates.

Police then spoke to a known woman who was on the porch steps of the residence. The known woman told police she wanted D. Cook out of the house because he had assaulted her earlier in the day.

According to the complaint, she stated M. Cook had come to remove D. Cook from the residence, and the two men then got into a physical altercation. She told police that at one point, D. Cook had M. Cook around the throat and was choking him. She stated she was trying to get D. Cook off of M. Cook so he could breathe.

Police observed vomit on the porch steps and the sidewalk leading away from the steps. The woman stated that after M. Cook got away from D. Cook, he ran outside and began to vomit.

Police then spoke to M. Cook again.

According to the complaint, when asked if he had hit D. Cook in the face, M. Cook said he did start the altercation because he was trying to remove D. Cook from the residence and said he pushed D. Cook, and the altercation then escalated. He told police he did strike D. Cook in the face, causing the injury under his eye.

When questioned about whether D. Cook had put his hands around his throat, M. Cook stated, “everything happened so fast,” and noted he did have trouble breathing. He went on to say that D. Cook was on top of him and might have had his hands around his throat. When asked if he had vomited outside, he stated that he had, and when asked if he did so as a result of pressure put on his neck and throat, he stated he believed so, according to the complaint.

The complaint notes police also observed some redness on both sides of M. Cook’s neck.

The men were offered medical treatment, but both refused.

David Cook and Michael Cook were arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Jarah Lee Heeter at 5:00 a.m. on July 9.

David Cook faces the following charges:

– Strangulation — Applying Pressure to Throat or Neck, Felony 2
– Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 2
– Harassment — Subject Other to Physical Contact, Summary

Unable to post $10,000.00 monetary bail, he was lodged in the Clarion County Jail.

Michael Cook faces the following charges:

– Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 2
– Marijuana-Small Amount Personal Use, Misdemeanor
– Use/Possession Of Drug Paraphernalia, Misdemeanor (two counts)
– Harassment — Subject Other to Physical Contact, Summary

He remains free on $5,000.00 unsecured bail.

Preliminary hearings are scheduled for 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday, July 21, with Magisterial District Judge Duane L. Quinn presiding.