IGX

HERMITAGE, Pa. (AP) — State police have charged an 81-year-old man with choking his wife after becoming "fed up" that she was wandering through a Wal-Mart store.

The Sharon Herald reports Ralph Ross, of West Salem Township, faces a preliminary hearing April 22 on charges of simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct.

Police say they were called to the store in Hermitage about 7:15 p.m. March 31.

That's where witnesses told police that Ross pushed a shopping cart into the electronic cart driven by his wife, Mary Louise Ross, then choked and shook the woman before a bystander intervened.

Police say Ross "advised that he had just become 'fed up' with Mary wandering around the grocery store and 'lost it.'"

Ross' defense attorney did not immediately return a call for comment Wednesday.