Son accuses dad of mind games, ends up in jail

A man accused his father of terrorizing him through a set of electronic speakers — but he was the one who racked up five criminal charges and left in handcuffs Monday. 

Maricopa Police Department arrested 32-year-old Austin Abernathy after cops said he assaulted his dad and destroyed a cell phone during an attempted call for help. 

Cops responded to a fight at a home on West Marin Avenue in Tortosa just after 3 p.m., according to a probable cause statement obtained by InMaricopa.  

Abernathy told cops his dad and his friends were tormenting him, constantly talking to him through a speaker system that spanned the house. 

Abernathy told cops he and his father fought over the speakers. When his father threatened to dial 9-1-1, he destroyed the cell phone. 

Abernathy said his father “squared up” and put him in a “chokehold.” But police noted there were no injuries to Abernathy’s neck. 

Abernathy’s father denied using electronic speakers to harass his son. He admitted to holding down his son while waiting for the police to arrive. 

He estimated the damage to his phone to be about $400. 

According to MPD, Abernathy had a valid order of protection served to him Aug. 10 barring him from that Tortosa home. 

Abernathy was transported to Exceptional Community Hospital where he was later arrested and bussed to the Pinal County jail on five domestic violence charges. 

He faces seven years behind bars after getting slapped with charges of assault, aggravated assault, preventing use of 9-1-1, interfering with judicial proceedings and criminal damage. 

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