Coalport man faces aggravated assault charge in stabbing | News, Sports, Jobs

A Coalport man is facing an aggravated assault charge after he allegedly broke into a city residence and stabbed a man in the leg.

Christopher Terrell Thomas, 46, was arraigned Saturday by Magistrate District Judge Paula M. Aigner on the aggravated assault charge, as well as a misdemeanor charge of criminal possession of a weapon, two misdemeanor simple assault charges and two summary harassment charges.

Unable to post $150,000 bail, he was sent to Blair County jail.

Altoona police responded to a stabbing at a home in the 1500 block of Third Avenue around 5:45 p.m. on Oct. 25.

Officers spoke with a witness who said he was talking to the victim in the dining room of his home when someone knocked on the door. When she answered, she found it was a male she knew only as “Dutch,” later identified as Thomas, who lived in a halfway house in Coalport, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

The witness said he had “talked” to Thomas about returning property belonging to each other. When she walked away from the door, Thomas followed her into the house and confronted her. The witness said Thomas hit him twice on the right side of his face with a closed fist.

Thomas then walked up to the victim, pushed him into a chair, punched him in the face, grabbed his leg, and stabbed him in the leg. The witness said this was the first time he saw Thomas with a knife. He then ran away from home to get help from his neighbor. The victim also fled and walked south until another neighbor came out to help him, according to court documents.

The witness told officers he had only known Thomas for a few days and had only been to his home twice before this incident. When asked if he knew the victim, Thomas said no, the report states.

Officers cleared the house and were unable to find Thomas or the knife. According to court documents, throughout the victim’s journey after leaving the home and walking south, multiple pools of blood were found in the dining room, kitchen area and blood stains on the floor.

Officers contacted staff at the rehabilitation center in Coalport and provided them with a description of Thomas. They said they knew Christopher Thomas, who goes by “Dutchman,” but he was not currently at the facility. An employee later contacted officers to report that Thomas had returned to the facility in an Uber, according to court documents.

When officers went to UPMC Altoona to speak with the victim, they were informed he was being treated in the operating room. Witness was able to positively identify

Thomas was identified as “Dutch” through a photo lineup, according to court documents.

Thomas’ preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 6 before Magistrate District Judge Daniel C. DeAntonio.