Man Accused of Ax Attack On Son Is Charged With Abuse

Police Say Father Has a History of Assault

A Montgomery County grand jury this week indicted a Gaithersburg man accused of slashing his 14-year-old son with an ax after destroying his room with the tool in 2004.

Joseph Paul Bungo has gravely assaulted his son at least three times, most recently in January, according to a police charging document.

The 55-year-old man acknowledged the incidents and "expresses sorrow for their occurrences," Detective Wayne J. Wiltshire wrote in a charging document.

Bungo told police that he "remembered destroying Louis's bedroom with an ax, but did not remember cutting Louis with it," according to the charging document.

His lawyer, Rene Sandler, said Bungo intends to "enter a not-guilty plea on all charges," and she declined to comment on the allegations. Bungo was indicted on one count of child abuse and four counts of second-degree assault.

The allegations came to light after the teenager's mother, a client at the Montgomery County Abused Persons Program, disclosed the episodes during a counseling session, according to police. Center officials notified Child Protective Services, which alerted police.

The charging document provides the following account of the three incidents:

In December 2004, Bungo and his son were arguing in his son's bedroom.

"Joseph lost his temper and grabbed an ax," Wiltshire wrote. "Joseph proceeded to destroy Louis's bunk bed, computer desk and computer. During the rampage, Joseph cut Louis's arm."

In late 2005 Bungo allegedly pushed his son off a chair in the kitchen, fracturing his right wrist. In May, Bungo allegedly assaulted his son again in the kitchen, once more injuring his right wrist.

It is unclear why the alleged abuse was not reported to police earlier.