SHENANDOAH - A Shenandoah man charged by borough police with choking and assaulting the mother of his child last month waived his right to a preliminary hearing Thursday.
Andrew Schmidt, 49, of 205 W. Coal St., Apt. 2, appeared before Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker on charges of robbery, recklessly endangering another person, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, criminal mischief, simple assault, harassment, disorderly conduct and terroristic threats filed by Shenandoah Police Chief Joseph Hall.
After waiving his hearing, Schmidt was returned to Schuylkill County Prison, where he is being held in lieu of on $25,000 straight cash bail set at the time of his arrest. He will now have to answer all the charges against him in Schuylkill County Court.
Hall said the incident that led to Schmidt's arrest began about 8:45 a.m. Nov. 18, when officers were called to the unit block of East Coal Street for a report of an assault.
At the scene, Hall said he and Patrolman Michael O'Neill met the victim, Jackie Sotomayor, at a home at 35 E. Coal St.
The woman said she was walking her 3-year-old son when Schmidt, the father of the child, "came out of no where" and attacked her, Hall said.
Sotomayor said Schmidt demanded to see his son and then "took her to the ground" and began to choke her, Hall said, adding that while the woman was being choked Schmidt began telling her she was going to die.
Sotomayor also said that during the assault her son was pulling at Schmidt's jacket yelling, "Daddy stop," Hall said.
The chief said the resident of 35 E. Coal St., Gerald Metzger, said he heard people fighting outside, looked out and saw Sotomayor being choked. Metzger exited his home and chased Schmidt away, Hall said.
Sotomayor said Schmidt stole her telephone and Hall said a warrant was obtained for the man's arrest.
A short time later, Hall and O'Neill arrived at Schmidt's home to take him into custody.
After being told Schmidt was home, and knocking at the door for several minutes, Hall said he and O'Neill forced their way inside and heard footsteps coming from the second floor.
Hall said officers went to the second floor and initially found no one but soon found a crawl space and evidence that Schmidt was inside.
Hall said Schmidt began to yell at police saying he had a knife and was not surrendering.
The chief said Schmidt remained in the crawl space for about an hour before Patrolman Kirk Kirkland arrived and managed to get Schmidt to surrender without incident.
Schmidt came out of the crawl space, was taken into custody and to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street, Pottsville, for treatment, Hall said.