ONONDAGA COUNTY, N.Y. -- A Salina man has been arrested and charged with the death of his father.

Michael Orts, 21, appeared in Cicero Town Court Thursday to answer a charge of criminally negligent homicide in the June death of Wayne Orts, 55.

Onondaga County's sheriff says at the time, Wayne Orts had told deputies he took a lot of prescription drugs. But during an autopsy, the medical examiner's office discovered Orts' spleen had ruptured, allegedly during a fight with his son earlier that day.

“It was a matter of him trying to come back into the house and his father not allowing him into the house. We believe there was alcohol involved certainly on the part of the father, as well as some drug abuse. So it could be that combination of things that really triggered this whole fight," Onondaga County Sheriff Kevin Walsh said.

Orts did not have a lawyer with him in court, so a plea of not guilty was automatically entered for him.