SUNBURY — A Winfield teenager faces assault charges after he allegedly choked a teacher at a city school Wednesday morning.

City police say Robert Southers, 18, of 1653 Broadway Road, attacked teacher Christopher Fish, 44, of Sunbury, at the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit’s Five Star Day School, 801 Susquehanna Ave.

Police said Southers was in the school’s office when he was told four times to remove his foot from atop a computer tower.

Fish then nudged Southers’ foot off the tower with his own foot, at which point police said Southers jumped from a chair and confronted Fish.

According to court documents, a brief verbal altercation ensued, and when Fish turned his back, Southers placed his foot back on the computer tower.

When Fish attempted to grab Southers’ pant cuff to remove his foot from the computer, police said Southers jumped up and began to choke Fish until Fish fell to the ground, where he suffered a cut to his elbow. He declined treatment at the scene.

Police said Fish was able to regain control of the situation with the help of other staff members and restrained Southers until police arrived.

Southers is charged with aggravated assault to a teacher, a felony; and simple assault and harassment, both misdemeanors.

He was arraigned before District Judge Robert Bolton and was freed on $25,000 unsecured bond.

The CSIU’s Web site lists Fish as a behavior intervention assistant. The Five Star Day School is a full-time program for students with behavioral and social-emotional needs.

Officer Michael Hawkins would not say that police are called to the school often, saying only, “We’ve been called there before.”

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