×

City men facing charges after alleged squabble over lover

A love triangle that turned sour in January resulted in police filing charges Wednesday against two men who used their vehicles to “flee, follow and strike” each other, Blair County court documents state.

Court summons were issued Thursday for Billie Strunk, 42, and Robert L. Sprankle, 42, for their roles in a series of events, which occurred Jan. 28, according to court documents.

After an argument with his estranged paramour, Strunk followed her and her son on Jan. 16, trying to offer them a ride as they supposedly walked to the store, police reported.

In a taped interview, Strunk told police he followed the two because he suspected his paramour was cheating on him with her former and estranged paramour, Sprankle, a criminal complaint states.

When Strunk’s paramour refused to get in his car, he grew angry and threw a wooden spindle rail at his floorboard, which bounced and broke his passenger window, police reported.

His paramour then walked over to Sprankle’s truck and entered the vehicle with her son, court documents stated.

Sprankle and Strunk allegedly verbally argued about the series of events, with both exchanging death threats, police reported.

Nearly two weeks later on Jan. 28, Strunk confessed to police that he used his father’s truck on Jan. 28 to ram Sprankle’s vehicle, which was stopped near the 200 block of Fourth Street, police reported.

While Sprankle and the paramour did not speak to police in detail, police reported they confirmed at least three people, including Sprankle and the paramour, were in Sprankle’s truck when Strunk rammed into it.

Strunk told police he did not stop when his vehicle made contact with Sprankle’s vehicle, which pushed Sprankle’s truck forward.

Sprankle allegedly exited his vehicle wielding a baseball bat as Strunk attempted to reverse away from Sprankle’s trunk, police reported.

Strunk then drove forward, turning hard in an attempt to drive past Sprankle’s vehicle as Sprankle allegedly struck Strunk’s vehicle with the baseball bat, according to police.

Strunk continued to drive forward, striking Sprankle in the chest and shoulder with his driver’s side mirror, before fleeing the scene, court documents state.

Strunk was stopped by police a few blocks later and agreed to meet with them at the Altoona police station, a criminal complaint stated. Police noted Strunk honored his agreement, and he admitted his two sons were in his vehicle during the incident.

Strunk was charged with multiple counts of child endangerment and reckless endangerment as well as harassment, disorderly conduct and criminal mischief, court documents state. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 24 with Magisterial District Judge Daniel DeAntonio.

Sprankle was charged with disorderly conduct, criminal mischief and harassment, and his preliminary hearing is also scheduled for March 24 with DeAntonio.

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

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.39/week.

Subscribe Today