Monongahela father, teen son face charges
A Monongahela man and his 19-year-old son each face charges, the father for allegedly threatening witnesses in his son’s case and the son for reportedly bringing a homemade shank to court Thursday.
Drake Matthew Munger, 19, of 464 E. Main St., was charged Thursday by Monongahela police with having a prohibited offensive weapon and disorderly conduct for bringing the weapon to the office of District Judge Mark Wilson. His father, Joseph J. Munger, 47, also of 464 E. Main, was charged Friday by city police after learning he reportedly intimidated a witness in his son’s case.
The younger Munger had been at Wilson’s office for a preliminary hearing on charges filed by Monongahela police last month. He initially was charged with unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, possessing instruments of a crime and tampering with evidence.
In that case, police were called for a report of two people breaking into vehicles near the Monongahela Aquatorium. When officers arrived, they found Munger reportedly restraining two boys with a pocket knife. The teen also reportedly slashed the boys’ bicycle tires. Munger also had several Chinese throw stars.
As Munger was getting out of his vehicle Thursday when he arrived for his hearing, a state trooper noticed him remove the homemade shank from the console of his car. Munger then reportedly tucked the shank into the waistband of his pants.
The trooper alerted Monongahela police and Munger was asked to step outside, where he was confronted and taken into custody. The homemade shank was made of wood and had been whittled to have a very sharp point at one end and a handle on the other end, police said.
The hearing on the initial charges was continued and Munger was arraigned on the new charges before Wilson. He was placed in Washington County jail on $100,000 bond.
His father was arraigned Friday before Wilson on the intimidation charge and placed in jail on $25,000 bond. Police learned of the alleged intimidation at the Thursday hearing.
Preliminary hearings on the cases are scheduled for Aug. 21 before Wilson.