SHENANDOAH - A preliminary hearing for a Mahanoy City man charged with seriously injuring his brother last month was continued for one week.
Jacob A. Schopfer, 18, of 1305 E. Pine St., was scheduled to appear before Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker, Shenandoah, on Thursday to answer charges in connection with a Feb. 19 incident at his home.
Mahanoy City police Lt. John Kaczmarczyk charged Schopfer with felony aggravated assault, misdemeanor offenses of simple assault and recklessly endangering another person and a summary charge of harassment.
Kilker rescheduled the hearing for 10 a.m. March 8 in his Shenandoah courtroom.
Schopfer remains in Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail set at the time of his arraignment.
Kaczmarczyk said the man's brother, Donald Schopfer, was flown to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, by helicopter with a serious laceration to the back of his neck and is currently recovering from his injury.
Kaczmarczyk said he was called to the area about 10:50 p.m. and found Jacob Schopfer on the sidewalk outside his home yelling that he had just killed his brother.
Kaczmarczyk said he also heard screaming coming from inside the home.
Schopfer was placed in handcuffs and Kaczmarczyk entered the home and found Donald Schopfer lying on the living room floor bleeding from the back of his neck.
Mahanoy City EMS personnel arrived and discovered that Donald Schopfer had suffered a 5- to-6-inch laceration to the back of his neck that cut down to the bone, Kaczmarczyk said. He was flown to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.
Family members in the home said Jacob Schopfer was agitated over an incident involving a neighbor and an argument began between he and his sister.
A third brother, James Schopfer, intervened but Jacob Schopfer pushed him backward into a computer desk and pinned him against a wall, Kaczmarczyk said. Donald Schopfer then tried to calm his brother but Jacob Schopfer took off his shirt and began shoving and fighting, eventually pushing Donald Schopfer backward into a cabinet and through a window, causing it to break and cut his brother's neck.
Back at the police station, Kaczmarczyk said Jacob Schopfer gave a story consistent with the one from family members.
Jacob Schopfer will now have to appear for a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker, Shenandoah.
