West Reading teen charged in assault

An 18-year-old West Reading man was charged Oct. 21 with assaulting a man in late September. The victim told police he was walking about 8 p.m. Sept. 29 in the 700 block of Franklin Street in the borough when he saw a man walking behind him.

He turned around and heard the man walk faster. When he turned around again, the victim saw the man running toward him. He tackled the victim then started punching him in the face and ribs. Afterward the attacker got up and ran toward South Sixth Avenue.

At the hospital the victim told police he recognized someone who was walking with his assailant. That man told police the attacker was his step-brother but didn't know why the attack took place. The step-brother never gave a reason and neither he nor the second man had any problems with the victim.

Police charged the suspect with two counts of simple assault and one count each of harassment and reckless endangerment. He was released on 5 percent of $20,000 bail pending a preliminary hearing.