A fight between a father and stepfather over the alleged mistreatment of a 13-year-old boy led to the arrest of the child's father Monday afternoon.

Police were called to a gas station on Pace Street where they met with one of the victims. He told them that his wife had received a call from his 13-year-old stepson asking her to come and pick him up from his father's house. While on the phone with the teen, the mother reportedly heard his father, later identified as 36-year-old James Baldwin, tell him to come and get the boy, and calling him a nasty name.

When officers from the Covington Police Department spoke with the boy, he allegedly told them the reason he called his mother and stepfather to pick him up from his father's home was because his dad (Baldwin) had, "pushed him down into the bushes and had grabbed his arm tightly, pulling him down the street." According to reports, Baldwin later admitted to pushing the child and grabbing him by the arm.

Officers were told that when the child's mother and stepfather arrived at Baldwin's home, the boy jumped into their car and tried to close the door. Baldwin reportedly told the boy not to close the door because he needed to speak with the child's mother and stepfather. The stepfather told Baldwin, according to reports, he had nothing to say to Mr. Baldwin and asked his stepson to close the door.

The stepfather began driving away when Baldwin reportedly jumped onto his vehicle. The stepfather told officers he stopped the vehicle and got out, telling Baldwin that he needed to leave. When he turned to get back into his vehicle, Baldwin called him and his wife nasty names, which eventually led to Baldwin swinging on the other man, attempting to hit him. He told officers that he wrestled Baldwin to the ground and held him there until a CPD detective arrived.

When the detective arrived and the stepfather let go of Baldwin, he reportedly took off running and jumped a fence into property owned by the city of Covington. He was initially found hiding behind a building, covered with various street signs and was arrested and transported to the Newton County Detention Center where he was charged with simple battery.