Perruna

The driver suspected of striking a Tyrone Area middle school student with his van Tuesday morning has been arrested.

Michael John Perruna, 39, of Altoona was taken into custody Wednesday, after Tyrone police announced a warrant for his arrest.

Perruna allegedly struck the student with his vehicle about 6:55 a.m. and fled the scene, leaving the victim lying in the southbound lane of Pennsylvania Avenue, just north of the intersection with West 15th Street. Near the victim was a debris field of automobile parts, police stated.

According to the report, the 14-year-old female victim was transported to UPMC Altoona and then flown to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Preliminary findings show that the teen suffered a broken pelvis, facial fractures and swelling around her spine.

She reportedly is in stable condition, police said on the department’s Facebook page.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, police investigating the early morning crash viewed surveillance video from local residences and businesses to create a timeline of events.

In a video from a local residence, the accident had not occurred by 6:54 a.m., but a second video shows the teen lying on the road at 6:56 a.m.

Videos from the American Eagle Paper Mill, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., were also viewed. One of the camera views shows the crash site in the distance, the affidavit states. About 6:55 a.m., a tri-axle truck lights up the street with its headlights and as it nears the camera, a glare blocks the view. When the tri-axle truck passes the camera and the view is restored, the teen can be seen lying on the road. Behind the tri-axle truck, at 6:55 a.m., is a maroon van. As the van nears the camera, police could see that it had damage to the front driver’s side, the report states.

The van was also viewed turning into the paper mill employee parking lot, where the driver parked, got out and walked to the front of the vehicle to inspect the damage.

Police said the driver was identified as Perruna. At no point did he stop at the scene to render aid or provide information, according to the report.

In the debris left at the crash site, police found a distinct pattern on a broken headlight.

With permission from American Eagle Paper Mill, police entered the parking lot to view the van from “a plain view position.”

Police noted a broken headlight had the same pattern as the piece found at the crash site. Police also could see what appeared to be a long human hair stuck to the front bumper and the windshield was cracked at the base on the driver’s side. Police also noted damage to the hood of the van and loose and broken parts around the driver’s side headlight.

A state police collision expert analyzed the scene and determined that the striking vehicle had been traveling south on Pennsylvania Avenue at the time of the crash, according to the affidavit of probable cause. In addition, the trooper said he believed the victim had been in the crosswalk at the time of the collision.

A search warrant was obtained for the van and an arrest warrant was granted Tuesday night for Perruna.

Perruna was arraigned Wednesday afternoon before Magisterial District Judge Daniel C. DeAntonio on felony charges of aggravated assault by vehicle and accidents involving death or personal injury, along with summary charges of failure to yield right of way to a pedestrian, failure to stop and give information/render aid and failure to notify police of an accident with injuries.

Unable to post $75,000 bail, Perruna was remanded to the Blair County Prison. His preliminary hearing is set for March 25.