Man attacks mother, is jailed

A Slatington area man was jailed on Tuesday after he allegedly attacked his mother and threatened to kill her because she woke him up. State police at Bethlehem identified the man as Derek C. Schmoyer, 19, of 8581 Brown St., Washington Township.

According to troopers Schmoyer's mother, Michele Schmoyer, attempted to wake her son around noon Tuesday while he was sleeping on a couch. Schmoyer became annoyed and grabbed his mother and threw her to the floor causing a bruise to her chest.

While she was still on the floor Schmoyer reached for a black knife located under the couch and put it in his belt, troopers said. He then picked up a blue baseball bat and held it over his mother's head.

Troopers said in their affidavit for probable cause that Schmoyer then said to his mother, "I want to kill you. I want to kill you."

The mother was able to exit the home and ran across the street to her father's home and called police. When troopers arrived they found Schmoyer to the rear of the home. Inside the home they found the knife and bat.

The affidavit also states troopers found five highway signs in the home which were the property of either PennDOT or Washington Township. Troopers allege that Schmoyer stole the signs.

Schmoyer was arraigned before a district judge on charges of terroristic threats, simple assault, harassment and receiving stolen property. He was committed to the Lehigh County prison after failing to post $5,000 straight cash bail.