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Police charged an Altoona man on June 17 with aggravated assault by vehicle for a hit-and-run accident that happened in April in which a motorcyclist was severely injured, according to court documents.
James E. Beasom, 69, was arraigned Monday by Magisterial District Judge Daniel DeAntonio on charges related to assault, causing an accident that resulted in injury, failing to notify police of an accident and fleeing the scene without rendering aid to an injured person, court documents state.
About 8:50 a.m. on April 8, police responded to a motor vehicle accident near East Second Avenue and Lloyd Street. According to witness accounts and video footage collected later, a motorcyclist was traveling south on Lloyd Street when a red sedan, later identified as a Chevrolet Malibu, pulled out from a stop sign on Second Avenue, striking the motorcycle and rider before fleeing the scene, police reported.
The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet, but suffered four broken ribs and a punctured lung, court documents stated.
Police collected pieces of the Malibu left at the scene, which helped them identify the make and color of the vehicle.
Using information provided by a relative of the motorcyclist, police located a damaged, red Malibu a few days later parked behind a house located on the 1600 block of 17th Avenue, court documents stated.
The homeowner said a man, later identified as Beasom, offered to pay him $45 to park the vehicle at the home, police reported.
Police interviewed Beasom at his home in the Eleventh Street Tower on April 14, and Beasom initially agreed to speak about the condition of his vehicle, which had damage consistent with the pieces located at the scene, court documents stated.
Beasom told police he parked his car at the home because he was having issues with birds defecating on his vehicle and another Tower tenant "keying" his car, police reported.
The damage to the vehicle was reportedly caused by an accident near the Jaffa Shrine Center about the same time as the Lloyd Street accident, but police noted Beasom couldn't recall many details about the supposed-Jaffa accident, a criminal complaint stated.
As police questioned Beasom further about the damage to his vehicle, Beasom pleaded his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent on the matter, court documents state.
After the Malibu was impounded, police discovered the broken pieces of vehicle left at the scene fit perfectly with the damaged portions of Beasom's car, a criminal complaint stated.
Police noted the vehicle had no bird feces on it, and while there were scratches on the vehicle, they were not consistent with the vehicle being "keyed."
Although Beasom's initial bail amount was set at 10% of $20,000, it was later modified to $20,000 unsecured, court documents stated.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 30 with DeAntonio.
Mirror Staff Writer Ike Fredregill is at 814-946-7458.