ifredregill@altoonamirror.com
An Altoona man is facing felony theft charges after allegedly writing multiple bad checks to purchase firearms.
James I. Preusser, 46, was arraigned Wednesday by Magisterial District Judge Paula Aigner on several charges including theft by deception and writing bad checks, according to Blair County court documents.
Between August and December, Preusser allegedly purchased six handguns from a business in Duncansville by writing checks with insufficient funds in his bank account, police reported.
The business owner sent Preusser a letter in December, requesting the missing funds and granting him 15 days to provide the money, a criminal complaint stated.
ifredregill@altoonamirror.com
An Altoona man was arraigned Thursday on harassment charges stemming from an incident on Jan. 30 involving his relatives, court documents stated.
Police charged Nicolas B. Odellick, 20, with multiple counts of terroristic threats and harassment after an alleged outburst at the victim’s home, according to court documents.
The victim told police Odellick is homeless because he has violent tendencies toward his relatives with whom he was staying previously, a criminal complaint stated.
In the early hours of Jan. 30, however, Odellick asked the victim to let him warm up in her house, because he had nowhere else to go.
Feb 13, 2021
Altoona City firefighters get on the roof of an apartment building at 504 26th Street on Friday afternoon.
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Smoke engulfed an apartment complex Friday afternoon at 26th Street and Union Avenue as Altoona Fire Department Fire Chief Tim Hileman arrived on scene.
“The call came in at 1:35 p.m. as a reported multi-dwelling fire,” Hileman said. “There was heavy smoke coming from the roof, and it banked down to the ground almost.”
Upon arrival, Hileman said he thought his firefighters might be in for a long fight, but crews were quick to discover the seed of the fire between the second and third floors.
ifredregill@altoonamirror.com
Volunteer firefighters cut through the roof while battling a dwelling fire at 408 Beaver St., in Hollidaysburg on April 27, 2020. Firefighting tactics have become more aggressive in recent years. âWe have to create ventilation quicker. We have to get the roof opened quick and get that heat down,â Altoona Fire Department Fire Chief Tim Hileman says.
Mirror file photo by Patrick Waksmunski
They don’t make homes or furniture like they used to, and it means residents have less time to escape in the event of a fire, an Altoona Fire Department spokesperson said.
“Thirty years ago, you might have had 17-20 minutes to escape your house if it caught fire,” AFD Fire Inspector Adam Free said. “But now, it’s estimated you only have about 3-4 minutes.”
ifredregill@altoonamirror.com
A call about a firearms disturbance Jan. 15 resulted in an Altoona woman facing drug charges Monday, but police did not report finding a firearm, court documents stated.
Amanda L. Hairfield, 34, was arraigned Monday by Magisterial District Judge Ben Jones after police discovered cash, drugs, a scale and an owe-sheet in a vehicle registered to her, according to court documents.
Police received an anonymous call about several people yelling in front of a yellow house on 24th Street while two men holding guns stood near a green SUV, police reported.
Responding officers noted a green SUV registered to Hairfield was at the location reported by the caller, but they did not observe any apparent disturbance, a criminal complaint stated.