An Allentown man, who threatened his estranged wife and dragged their then 3-year-old son into a busy street in Nesquehoning, entered guilty pleas in Carbon County court on Monday and was sentenced to a county prison term.

Mark Azar, 34, of North Graham Street, pleaded to one count each of terroristic threats concerning his wife and recklessly endangering another person, his 3-year-old son.

In exchange for the plea the district attorney’s office dropped counts of simple assault, criminal mischief, public drunkenness, harassment and persistent disorderly conduct

Nesquehoning police charged Azar for an incident on May 5 in the area of East Catawissa Street.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by officer Timothy Wuttke, at 4:15 p.m., officers were dispatched to the unit block of East Catawissa Street for a domestic dispute involving a 3-year-old child being dragged by his arm by his father.

When officers arrived, they saw the man, later identified as Azar, moving around a vehicle in which a woman was locked inside, and picking up an object and throwing it at the windshield.

Azar was yelling and screaming, and when confronted by police, would not calm down.

He was handcuffed, but then began kicking boxes on the porch of the residence. Officers also smelled alcohol on Azar’s breath.

A witness said they saw Azar dragging the child around the vehicle and then hitting the car and breaking the vehicle mirror.

Azar then took the child into the middle of Catawissa Street and left the child in the middle of the road. He returned to the vehicle and again started beating the windshield with the mirror he had torn off.

Police spoke with the victim, who said that Azar was at her home when she arrived home and that they are married, but separated.

When she left with one of three children to go shopping, she said she began getting harassing and threatening phone calls from Azar. When she came home, she could tell he had been drinking.

When she tried to secure the children in the vehicle, that was when Azar grabbed her by the shirt and hair and threatened to beat her. She then locked herself inside the vehicle as Azar tried to get in.

Defense attorney Matthew Mottola, of the public defender’s office, said his “anger got the best of him.”

He said his client was concerned about his children, claiming the victim had a drug problem, recently completed a rehabilitation program, but he feared she was using drugs again.

Azar admitted having mental health issues and also that he had been drinking alcohol on the day of the incident. He said he is taking medication for his mental health problems.

He also said the day of the incident he was concerned about the safety of his children. He has two children with the victim.

He said, “I take full responsibility for my actions that day.”

He claimed the wife was using drugs again and added, “I’m scared for my children. I’m scared for their safety.”

He said, “I lost my cool.” He also claimed that his wife was “high” the day of the incident.

Assistant District Attorney Brian Gazo, who prosecuted the case, said there are two versions of what happened, but he said the incident about the child being dragged into the street was confirmed by witnesses. He said Catawissa Street is a busy thoroughfare. He said cars had to swerve around the child.

He also said that the victim has had three protection from abuse orders against Azar.

The victim denied using any drugs the day of the incident and said she has not used any since completing her rehab program. She said that Azar has threatened her many times over the six years they have been married and it continued since his arrest.

She also claimed he called her from the county prison after his arrest on the charges and made more threats to her.

President Judge Roger N. Nanovic then sentenced Azar to serve 135 days to one day less 24 months in prison followed by one year of probation with the terms running concurrently.

Azar has been in the prison for 135 days, but Mottola said his client wants to use that credit against a pending probation violation petition filed against him by the adult probation office.

Nanovic also ordered Azar to get both a drug and alcohol, mental health and anger management evaluations and follow any recommendations for treatment, have no contact with the victim, and make restitution of $700 for damages to the vehicle. Because this is a domestic incident, he must give up any firearms or gun permits he now possesses, pay court costs of about $1,000 and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole and probation.