May 10, 2016 1 min read

A Nemacolin man was charged Monday by Cumberland Township police with simple assault for striking an 11-year-old boy in the ribs with a wiffle ball bat.

Adam D. Smith, 34, of 339 Grant St., allegedly admitted to police that he struck the child, “but only because the child hit him first,” the criminal complaint said.

Smith had been arguing with the child’s mother at his residence Monday when he allegedly hit the woman in the face and pushed her, according to court documents.

Police said the woman then went into the child’s room and the child grabbed the plastic bat to try to defend his mother against Smith.

According to court documents, Smith told the child to, “go ahead and hit me with it.” The child struck Smith on the neck, leaving a red mark, police said.

Smith then took the bat from him and struck him on his left side leaving a welt the size of a softball, police said.

Smith was also charged with harassment and disorderly conduct. He is awaiting his preliminary hearing in Greene County jail on $2,500 bond.