According to court documents, Timothy Lee Rothermel, 59, was charged on July 24 with striking, shoving, kicking or attempting/threatening a care-dependent person (M1), simple assault (M2), and harassment following an incident at a residence on Vista Road.
According to an affidavit filed by the Pennsylvania State Police, troopers were dispatched shortly after 12:40 a.m. on July 24 for a report of an active domestic incident between a father and son.
Police said they interviewed both Rothermel and the victim separately after arriving at the residence. During the interview, troopers observed a bleeding contusion on Rothermel's forehead. Investigators said Rothermel declined emergency medical services and repeatedly refused to discuss the altercation, stating he was "sick and tired" of paying the bills before ending the interview.
The victim told investigators that Rothermel had returned home after drinking at a VFW and entered his bedroom while he was getting dressed. According to the affidavit, an argument escalated after the victim asked Rothermel to leave the room and called family members for assistance.
State police allege Rothermel returned to the bedroom after the home's Wi-Fi had been turned off and became aggressive. Investigators said the victim told them Rothermel grabbed him by the shirt, pulled him from his wheelchair, and pinned him to the floor. A family member attempted to intervene but was unsuccessful, and the victim eventually struck Rothermel in the forehead with a closed fist to stop the assault.
Troopers reported observing fresh abrasions to the victim's neck, hand, and ankle, as well as a cut on his lower lip. The victim told police he is paralyzed from the chest down and relies on a wheelchair for mobility.
Based on the injuries and statements gathered during the investigation, state police concluded Rothermel was the aggressor and that the victim acted in self-defense. The affidavit also notes that Rothermel's statement about being tired of paying bills for a family member supported investigators' belief that he had voluntarily assumed responsibility as the victim's caretaker.
Court records show Rothermel was arraigned before on July 24. Bail was set at $25,000 monetary, which was later posted through a professional bondsman. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for August 10, 2026 before Magisterial District Judge James Reiley.