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Tyrone man accused of trespassing into house of ex-wife

A Tyrone man is behind bars after police say he sneaked into his ex-wife’s Altoona home.

David P. McNelis Sr., 47, 405 W. 16th St., Tyrone, was arrested Monday after he allegedly showed up outside his ex-wife’s home on the 300 block of First Avenue and then was found inside by a family member, according to Altoona police.

It was 11:30 a.m. when McNelis arrived at the house and was spotted outside. His ex-wife was not at home, but another family member who was home was startled to find McNelis inside. The family member grabbed a knife from a kitchen cabinet and demanded McNelis leave before 911 was called, police said.

On his way out, McNelis threw a empty Four Loco can on the sidewalk in front of the house.

Police said McNelis had been showing up at the house uninvited and unannounced over the past several weeks.

After a bulletin was put out for police to be on the lookout for McNelis, a Logan Town­ship officer found him passed out, drunk behind the wheel of his car on the 300 block of Pleasant Valley Boulevard, police said.

The engine of McNelis’ red Ford sedan was still running, and after the ignition was turned off, officers woke McNelis, and he was helped out of the car. An open can of Four Loco was found in the car’s center console, and McNelis smelled heavily of alcohol, police allege.

McNelis, whose license is already suspended because of a previous DUI, was taken to UPMC Altoona for a blood draw before he was taken to be booked on charges that include felony criminal trespass and misdemeanor stalking and DUI.

Bail was set at $10,000 cash on Tuesday morning by Magisterial District Judge Jeffrey Auker. McNelis is scheduled to appear at Central Court for a preliminary hearing on March 8.

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