HOLLIDAYSBURG — An Altoona man who held police at bay in April while livestreaming his desire to be left alone is fighting criminal charges related to the incident, including felony counts of prohibited possession of a firearm.

Blair County President Judge Wade A. Kagarise initiated a trial-by-court on Wednesday for Al-mu-min Diaz, 46, who, prior to the standoff on the 900 block of First Avenue, was accused of threatening a female family member during a domestic dispute at that residence.

Because the trial-by-court didn’t conclude Wednesday as scheduled, Kagarise is expected to identify a date when witness testimony can continue.

In court Wednesday, Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Thomas put seven witnesses on the stand, including the female family member who spoke of having limited memory about the domestic dispute prior to police surrounding the Diaz residence on April 18.

In response, Thomas played video of the woman’s interview at police headquarters, where she accused Diaz of pointing a gun at her and saying “die bitch” during an argument.

In court Wednesday, she testified that the video didn’t refresh her recollection of Diaz’s statement.

“I don’t recall his words … but that’s what I said in the video,” the woman testified.

Diaz, who is representing himself with Chief Public Defender Russ Montgomery acting as standby counsel, objected to the presentation of the videotaped interview.

“They’re trying to use her to get to me,” Diaz said. “I feel like that interrogation was coerced.”

While Kagarise overruled Diaz’s objection, Diaz asked the woman to confirm that she went to police because she thought he was having a mental breakdown.

“She was just doing her best to get me help,” Diaz said.

Kagarise attempted during the trial to identify who owned the gun that the woman told police Diaz pointed at her.

“I guess it was his,” the woman testified.

While she and her brother also lived in the residence at that time, she said they didn’t own guns.

Altoona Police Lt. William Hanelly Jr. testified that in response to the woman’s interview and other information available to police, the department blocked off access to Diaz’s neighborhood and used a heavily armored vehicle to get closer to his residence.

Patrolman August Stickel said he relied on the vehicle’s public address system to order all occupants of the residence to exit and to inform Diaz that he was under arrest.

Stickel said he subsequently learned that Diaz was doing a live recording on Facebook.

“He was saying he wasn’t under arrest, that he hadn’t committed a crime,” Stickel said.

In court on Wednesday, Diaz objected to how the incident was portrayed.

“I didn’t have a standoff,” Diaz told Kagarise in raising an objection to the use of that word. “I didn’t respond the way they wanted me to … but I hadn’t done anything.”

About four hours later, Diaz surrendered to police after conversing with Lt. Ashley Day, a hostage negotiation specialist with Altoona police.

At the conclusion of the trial-by-court, Kagarise will be in a position to decide if sufficient evidence was offered in support of the criminal charges.

In connection with the domestic dispute, Diaz faces one count of prohibited possession of a firearm and misdemeanor counts of terroristic threats and simple assault.

In connection with the standoff, police charged him with felony counts of prohibited possession of firearm, receiving stolen property, flight to avoid apprehension, possession with intent to deliver, forgery and misdemeanor counts of use and/or possession of drug paraphernalia and obstructing justice.

In a search of Diaz’s residence, police reported finding three guns — including one stolen from Virginia — seven packages of marijuana that were shown in court on Wednesday and $4,500 in counterfeit bills.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.