Pair of city men arrested in alleged burglary

Police: Victim struck suspect with metal pipe

Two Altoona men were charged with burglary Thursday after police responded to a call on Fourth Avenue and found one of the men bleeding from a head wound, court documents stated.

Albert W. Marini, 59, and Wayne Williams, 51, were arraigned Thursday by Magisterial District Judge Paula Aigner on multiple charges, including burglary, criminal conspiracy to engage in burglary and criminal trespassing, according to court documents.

The Altoona Police Department reported that officers responded to a burglary in progress about midnight Wednesday, and discovered Williams and Marini standing outside the residence in question.

Blood was streaming down the side of Marini's face, and he told police a person inside the residence struck him in the head with a metal pipe, a criminal complaint stated.

The victim told police Marini kicked in her door, then pushed her through the residence, finally pinning her to a wall, because he said she owed him money from previous drug transactions, police reported.

While pushing the victim, who is romantically involved with Marini, Marini allegedly said he was going to kill her, court documents stated.

After pinning the victim to the wall, the victim said she grabbed a nearby metal pipe and hit Marini in the head once, police reported.

A witness who was in the victim's apartment said he heard Marini threaten the victim's life and confirmed the victim hit Marini once, a criminal complaint stated.

While Marini allegedly pushed the victim, Williams entered the residence and allegedly yelled at an adult witness as he approached him, stopping only when Williams noticed the witness' juvenile son was watching the event unfold, police reported.

The juvenile witness also observed the victim strike Marini in the head a single time, before calling 911, court documents stated.

Williams told police the victim answered the door when Marini knocked and the two verbally argued about money, police reported.

He also alleged the victim was holding a metal pipe behind her back and struck Marini during the argument, a criminal complaint said.

The attack allegedly caused Marini to fall into the residence and onto the victim, which Williams responded to by stepping about 6 feet into the residence to help Marini up and out of the residence, Williams told police, according to court documents.

Police noted multiple drops of blood inside the residence, most of which were near the area where the victim said Marini pinned her.

Marini told police the victim welcomed him into the house, but became erratic when he asked about the money and hit him three or four times with the metal pipe, court documents stated.

Police noted Marini suffered from one laceration on the side of his head and no other injuries.

While searching Williams, police reported they discovered a rolled cigarette containing marijuana, a criminal complaint stated.

Both Marini's and Williams' cash bails were set at $75,000. They are currently being held at Blair County Prison, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for each on Jan. 27 with Magisterial District Judge Daniel DeAntonio.

Mirror Staff Writer Ike Fredregill is at 814-946-7458.