The son of former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin has been arrested and charged after a violent fracas with his father over a truck, court records have shown.

Track Palin, 28, was charged with assault and burglary after he reportedly struggled with Todd Palin over a handgun at his parents' home in Alaska after a dispute broke out about using the vehicle.

According to the criminal complaint and supporting documents, the 28-year-old smashed through a window of the house in Wasilla before clashing with his father on Saturday night.

Police in an affidavit filed with the charging documents said Todd Palin was left bloodied and Mrs Palin, a former Alaska governor who ran alongside US Senator John McCain against Barack Obama in 2008, was visibly shaken after alerting officers to the incident.

It stated she called the police and reported her son "freaking out and was on some type of medication".


Image: Court documents revealed Sarah Palin called police after the fight broke out

In the document, Todd Palin said the altercation started when his son called to say he was coming to get a truck from the house, to which he objected, prompting his son to say he was on his way anyway "to beat his a**".

The affidavit said the father armed himself with a pistol as he waited for his son to arrive, but it added: "Todd decided he was not going to shoot his son."

He was soon disarmed by Track Palin as they struggled.

The document stated the son told police his father had pointed the gun at him and goaded his father to shoot.

It also said he admitted to drinking a few beers before the confrontation.

A court order means Track Palin, a US Army reserve veteran who served in Iraq in 2008, is now barred from contacting his parents and two younger siblings who live with them.

He remained in jail on Monday instead of paying the $5,000 (£3,700) bail and was charged with a felony count of burglary with attempted injury and a count of misdemeanour assault, according to the court papers.

John Tiemessen, the family's lawyer, was not available to respond to a news agency request for comment on Monday but issued a statement on Sunday asking for the Palins' privacy to be respected.

Previously, Mrs Palin cited her son's past legal issues while publicly questioning the support available for ex-military personnel who may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.