HOLLIDAYSBURG – Timothy Allen Hughes of Altoona has sent a letter to a Blair County judge stating he no longer wants to challenge his conviction for a 2011 arson that resulted in the destruction of three homes on the 100 block of Third Avenue.

Hughes, 33, is serving a two- to six-year sentence at the State Correctional Institution at Houtzdale.

In June, more than two years into his state prison sentence, Hughes filed a challenge to his conviction, stating a guilty plea he entered before Judge Daniel J. Milliron was essentially forced upon him.

He said his defense attorney told him Milliron, a former Altoona mayor, would impose a sentence of possibly 12 years on him if he went to trial and was convicted.

Hughes, in a request to withdraw his guilty plea for a lesser sentence, testified in mid-June that the only reason he entered the plea was because he was frightened.

He said his defense attorney told him Milliron, a former Altoona mayor, would impose a sentence of possibly 12 years on him if he went to trial and was convicted.

Assistant Public Defender Ted Krol denied mentioning Milliron but testified in mid-June that he did tell Hughes that he probably would serve more than two years if convicted of the 15 charges against him.

Hughes’ argument also was countered by Blair County First Assistant District Attorney Jackie Bernard, who stated that Hughes was competent and aware of what he was doing when he entered the plea in 2012.

Milliron has not ruled on Hughes’ request, but now Hughes has sent a letter to the judge stating he wants to withdraw his petition under the Post Conviction Relief Act.

Hughes apologized for any inconvenience he has caused the court.

He pointed out he has completed half of the six-year maximum imposed by the judge, and he stated the “victims deserve closing.”

Milliron has ordered the Blair County Court administrator to schedule a half-hour videoconference with Hughes so he can confirm his withdrawal request on the record.

The memory of the fire remains very much a part of the lives of the victims in the case because of a civil lawsuit filed last year.

The fire was started in 106 Third Ave. and spread to 104 and 108, the homes on either side.

Damage approached half a million dollars.

Guwain Engle of Altoona, owner of the rental property at 104 Third Ave., and three of Engle’s tenants have filed a civil lawsuit asking that the owners of 106 where the fire started, pay damages resulting from the fire.

The home at 106 was owned by Terri and Craig Rosenthal, who reside in Virginia.

The civil lawsuit contends it was vacant at the time and therefore attractive to an arsonist.

The unusual civil lawsuit had been slowly making its way through the court system and is still in the deposition stage.

However, the case is reaching the point where the judge will have to make a decision whether the law will allow the primary victim of the fire to be sued.

Court records show that the attorney for Engle and his tenants intend to interview Hughes in the preparation of the plaintiff’s case.

Mirror Staff Writer Phil Ray is at 946-7468.