City man charged with assault | News, Sports, Jobs

A city man is charged with aggravated assault after allegedly fracturing someone’s skull during an argument over baseball cards.

Terry Lynn Merritts, 61, was arraigned Thursday by Magistrate District Judge Benjamin F. Jones on two counts of aggravated assault and one felony count of evading capture, as well as a single misdemeanor count of recklessly endangering another person and possession of an instrument. crime. Unable to post $150,000 bail, Merritts was sent to Blair County Jail.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, officers with the Altoona Police Department were called to an assault along the 1000 block of Fifth Avenue on Wednesday around 5:46 p.m.

Officers found the victim unresponsive and a witness held a paper towel to the victim’s head to stop the bleeding, court documents said.

Although the witness did not see the attack, he said the victim told him “Terry” had done this to him before his condition worsened. AMED then arrived and took the victim to UPMC Altoona for treatment, according to police records.

According to police records, officers spoke with Merritts’ upstairs neighbor; The neighbor said he heard an argument between Merritts and the victim over baseball cards, but could not confirm what happened because he did not see it.

At UPMC Altoona, officers spoke with the victim while awaiting treatment. The victim had been staying at the Merritts until about a week ago when he returned to the residence to retrieve some belongings but said there was a discrepancy regarding the location of his baseball cards, according to the affidavit.

The victim told officers that Merritts allegedly began cursing at him and hit him on the top of his head and abdominal area with a long, stick-like object.

According to court documents, officers noticed a golf ball-sized wound on the victim’s head and later learned the victim had a fractured skull.

After a search warrant was prepared and approved for the Merritts’ residence, the officers identified themselves multiple times before forcing entry. Officers had to remove Merritts from the couch after she refused to come out willingly, according to police records.

While being taken into custody, Merritts said the victim “attacked him first.” Merritt also allegedly admitted that the gun he used to attack the victim was in the basement and was later located by a detective.

Merritts is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 27 before Magistrate District Judge Daniel C. DeAntonio.