Catawissa Man Charged With Assaulting Girlfriend's Son

A Catawissa man was charged Wednesday with assaulting his girlfriend’s adult son. 

James W. Bess, Jr., 54, faces one count of third-degree assault.

A woman told deputies that she had left the home Feb. 7 in the 1000 block of North Shore Drive in Catawissa due to Bess, her boyfriend, being intoxicated.

She returned home the next morning and learned that her adult son had been physically assaulted by Bess.

The son had returned to the home at some point during the night.

Deputies say evidence of an assault was established.

Bess is being held without bond.

Bess, who faces charges for aggravated DWI, leaving the scene of an accident and resisting arrest in 2019, had his bond revoked due to the arrest.

Online court records show that Bess is scheduled to go to trial March 29 for third-degree domestic assault and unlawful use of a weapon stemming from March 2020.

Bess was incarcerated for fourth-degree assault in November 2021. He spent 20 days in jail.

Bess received five years probation in 2018 for DWI — persistent offender.