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CLEARFIELD -- A Tyrone man is facing charges for assaulting his cellmate at the Clearfield County Jail.
Police say Collin Bradley Gardner, 24, struck the victim in the face, breaking his nose, stomped on him and choked him, causing him to be transported to Penn Highlands Clearfield on Nov. 24.
Gardner initially was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, strangulation, disorderly conduct and summary harassment. On Wednesday, he waived his right to a preliminary hearing during centralized court when the aggravated assault charge was dismissed.
Gardner is being held in the jail on $25,000 bail in the case.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, the victim told investigators that he had been beaten up by his cellmate, Gardner, whom he had just met.
He said he was unsure why he was beaten up because he was just standing by the cell gate when Gardner punched him in the ribs, then in the face with a closed hand and choked him, making it hard to breathe. The victim stated that he lost consciousness for about 15 seconds.
Afterward, Gardner allegedly pleaded for him not to tell anyone. The victim told him that would be difficult since he was "bleeding and crying on the floor."
When a corrections officer found the victim, the victim wouldn't say what had happened until he was taken to the nurse for treatment.
A police officer described the victim as having a broken nose, bloody lip, swollen face and bruising to his forearms, neck and lower back where he had been kicked, according to the report.
Gardner was incarcerated on two separate cases at the time of the attack. In the first case, he is charged with terroristic threats and harassment in relation to an incident in Houtzdale on June 11.
He was released on bail June 17.
In the second case, he is facing felony counts of conspiracy for materially false written statement for purchase, delivery or transfer of a firearm, conspiracy to firearm ownership and a misdemeanor count of criminal solicitation for tampering with records for an incident that happened on June 10 in Clearfield Borough.
A warrant was issued for Gardner who failed to appear for the hearing in that case in October. Online court records indicate he was back in custody on Oct. 28.