MONONGAHELA – A Monongahela teenager has been charged with slashing his father with a knife after an argument about the family Christmas tree. Justin Dwayne Fowler, 18, of 105 Sixth St., Second Floor, was charged with one count of felony aggravated assault, one misdemeanor count each of simple assault and recklessly endangering another person and one summary count each of criminal mischief and disorderly conduct in relation to an incident that occurred at his house shortly after midnight Wednesday. According to an affidavit of probable cause filed at Magisterial District Judge Mark Wilson’s office in Monongahela, Justin Fowler became violent after his father, Patrick, told him to stop taking down the Christmas tree. Patrick Fowler told police that his son began tearing the tree apart. After his father told him to stop a second time, Justin Fowler went outside of the house and told his father to come outside or he was “going to come in after him,” the affidavit states. Patrick Fowler told police that when he went outside he found his son holding a knife. Patrick Fowler said he tried to knock the knife from his son’s hand by throwing a lamp at him, but missed. His son then came at him “making slashing motions with the knife” that cut his father’s hands and legs, the affidavit states. Patrick Fowler’s other son, Patrick Fowler Jr., came out of the house and grabbed Justin Fowler from behind, police said. Justin Fowler dropped the knife and punched his father in the face twice, the affidavit states. After his father and brother went back inside the house, Justin Fowler picked up the knife and tried to get back into the house, police said. Justin Fowler ran from the house after his mother called 911 and told him the police were coming, the affidavit states. Police arrested Justin Fowler about a block away from his home. After Justin Fowler was arraigned, Wilson sent him to Washington County Correctional Facility on a $100,000 cash bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled before Wilson at 9 a.m. Thursday.

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