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HOLLIDAYSBURG -- An Altoona man has rendered guilty pleas to two criminal offenses in connection with his wife's fatal overdose after the most serious charge -- drug delivery resulting in death -- was withdrawn.
Brian S. Tilson, 59, was directed Thursday to apply for the county's Drug Court program and if accepted, he will be required to attend drug court sessions and follow the program's requirements.
If denied admission, Tilson will return to Judge Jackie Bernard's court for sentencing on criminal conspiracy to possession with intent to deliver, a felony, and tampering with evidence, a misdemeanor.
District Attorney Pete Weeks told Bernard in court Thursday that he would withdraw the drug delivery resulting in death charge because the evidence has changed.
Altoona police initially charged both Tilson and his son, Scott Tilson, with drug delivery resulting in the death of Teresa Kathy Tilson, 54, who died in August at UPMC Altoona Hospital.
Emergency responders, on Aug. 8, 2022, found the three Tilsons inside a residence on the 2500 block of Beale Avenue after an 8-year-old child told a neighbor that her father, grandfather and grandmother were unresponsive.
Charges filed by Altoona police indicate that emergency responders revived Brian Tilson and Scott Tilson with Narcan and that they transported Teresa Kathy Tilson to the hospital, where she died.
When Altoona police charged both Brian Tilson and Scott Tilson in November with drug delivery resulting in death, they reported that Scott admitted to securing a packet of heroin that he gave to his father, Brian Tilson, who divided it into three lines for use.
Weeks said in court that Brian Tilson disagreed with his son's statement. He also said that because Scott Tilson is recanting what he told police, that was a factor in withdrawing Brian Tilson's drug delivery resulting in death charge.
Scott Tilson, meanwhile, remains in the county prison and could be tried in May on charges of drug delivery resulting in death, criminal conspiracy to possession with intent to deliver, possession with intent to deliver, criminal use of a communications facility, endangering the welfare of a child and related offenses. His jury selection is scheduled for May 8.
Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.