City man accused of assault | News, sports, jobs

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

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

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., according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Officers found the victim unconscious and a witness held paper towels to the victim’s head to stop the bleeding, according to court documents.

Although the witness did not see the attack, she said the victim told her that “Terry” did this to him before his condition deteriorated. AMED then arrived and took the victim to UPMC Altoona for treatment, police records state.

Officers spoke with Merritts’ upstairs neighbor, who said he heard an altercation over baseball cards between Merritts and the victim, but could not confirm what happened because he did not see it, police records state.

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

The victim told officers that Merritts allegedly began cursing at him and struck him in the head and stomach area with a long, stick-like object.

Officers observed a golf ball-sized wound on the victim’s head and later learned the victim had suffered a skull fracture, according to court documents.

After a search warrant for Merritts’ home was prepared and approved, officers identified themselves numerous times before forcing entry. Officers had to remove Merritts from a bench after he refused to come outside voluntarily, police records state.

While in custody, Merritts said the victim “attacked him first.” Merritts also allegedly admitted that the gun he used to attack the victim was in the basement, which was then located by a detective.

Merritts will have a preliminary hearing on Nov. 27 before Magisterial District Judge Daniel C. DeAntonio.