A Lehighton man is charged with assaulting a teen who got into a verbal altercation with his son while riding on a school bus.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by police officer Jeff Frace of the Mahoning Township Police Department:

The victim’s mother contacted police on March 29 to report her 15-year-old son was assaulted when he got off the school bus by Christopher Barachie, 38.

The boy said he was involved in an argument with Barachie’s son while on the bus, and that when he got off the bus, Barachie’s son told him he would stab the victim, then ran into his residence.

The victim said while on the street with friends, Barachie came out of the residence and confronted him about the argument with Barachie’s son, saying, “Are you talking crap on my son?”

The victim said Barachie grabbed him by the neck and he blacked out as a result. He said the next thing he remembered was getting helped off the ground by his friend.

The victim’s mother said Barachie was actually a family friend until this incident.

After multiple unsuccessful attempts to reach Barachie, at around 6 p.m. May 8, Frace again called the number he had listed for Barachie, who answered, and Frace said he needed to speak with him.

Barachie was uncooperative and told Frace he wouldn’t come to the station. Frace said he would just file the charges, and Barachie said something in a derogatory manner and Frace hung up.

About 10 minutes after the conversation with Barachie, the victim’s mother called Frace and said that Barachie called her almost immediately after Frace contacted him.

Barachie asked the victim’s mother about the incident and wanted to know who was pushing the charges.

Barachie then told her that he spoke with the victim and things were good between them.

He then said to her, “I just want to know whose house to show up at, because if I’m going to jail, I’ll make sure I’m going for something good.”

The victim’s mother also had a text from a few days after the initial incident in which Barachie said he “got out of hand,” “lost his cool” and “not justifying what happened.”

Barachie faces charges of strangulation — applying pressure to throat or neck, and simple assault.

He is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing June 26 before District Judge Eric M. Schrantz of Jim Thorpe.