Less than two weeks after former Olympic boss Tom Welch settled criminal charges of domestic violence, his oldest son is facing similar problems.
Police responded to the Welches' east bench home, 3040 E. Sherwood Circle, shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday.Christopher Welch, 19, and his mother, Alma Welch, were having a conversation about a relationship Tom Welch was allegedly having with another woman, a Salt Lake police report said.
"Chris made verbal demands to his mother that she stop talking about his father," the report said. He accused her of making up the information about the affair, which Tom Welch contends was a platonic relationship.
Alma Welch said she told Christopher that if he didn't "calm down and stop making demands that it would be a good idea if he moved out of the home," the report said.
She told police he then got very angry with her and started toward her. She told him to sit down and he said "no." They continued to argue, and then Alma Welch said she tried to go into her bedroom to call the police. Alma Welch called the city's domestic violence unit, and while she was talking with someone, Christopher took the phone from her and began talking, the report said.
Alma said her son pushed her at least twice during the argument about the telephone. Alma Welch then said she was going to leave to go to the police station. According to the report, Christopher Welch followed her to the garage and took her keys out of the ignition.
At this point, Alma Welch began screaming for help. Brian McPhie was laying carpet in the Welch home and attempted to intervene, telling Christopher to leave his mother alone, the report said.
McPhie said Christopher Welch called him names and told him to leave the house. He then threw several of McPhie's tools into a wall, the report said.
Christopher Welch said he did argue with his mother, but that he never pushed her, the report said. He did admit asking her to stop talking about his father's alleged affair and that he pulled the telephone from her hand.
At one point during his interview with police, Christopher Welch asked the police to leave so he could talk to his mother. Alma Welch told him she didn't want to talk, she wanted him to leave the house, the report said.
Christopher left, leaving skid marks on the driveway and then returned a few minutes later yelling at his mother, the report said. He also said to one of the officers before he left, "I'll remember your name, Dave Rowley, and you'll get yours."
Police are still investigating the incident. It will likely go to prosecutors to be screened for criminal charges next week. It is up to prosecutors to decide whether criminal charges are warranted.
Tom Welch pleaded no contest to domestic violence battery, a Class B misdemeanor about a week and a half ago. As part of the plea agreement, he has to attend counseling.
Charges were filed against Tom Welch after he and his wife got into an argument over the alleged affair in late July.