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Fourth man charged in party fight

Spriggs arraigned on felony burglary, assault charges

A fourth person has been charged for their alleged participation in a January fight that ended with an individual going into cardiac arrest.

City resident Kasen D. Spriggs, 18, was arraigned Monday by Magisterial District Judge Matthew Dunio on single felony counts of burglary and aggravated assault, a single misdemeanor count of simple assault and individual summary counts of harassment, public drunkenness and disorderly gatherings ordinance. Unable to post $50,000 bail, he was remanded to the Blair County Prison.

Logan Township police were dispatched about 1:29 a.m. Jan. 25 to an apartment complex at Nittany Pointe for a report of cardiac arrest. It was reported that a large fight occurred and CPR was being conducted on a 19-year-old victim, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

The victim, who survived and was taken to UPMC Altoona for treatment, suffered a swollen and fractured nose, small lacerations to his head, contusions on his chest and a concussion, court documents state.

During the investigation, police learned about the party at the Nittany Pointe apartment and that the victim and others were at the party when three Cambria County men tried to enter. When they were not allowed into the apartment, the victim said they grabbed him “like a bear hug and pushed me to the landing.”

The victim told police the last thing he remembered was curling up into a ball, being kicked in the head and then waking up in the hospital, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Along with Spriggs, Carlos J. Ortega, 21, of Salix and Johns­town residents Maliek K. Paul, 23, and Suncire M. Flemmings, 20, were charged in the assault.

Spriggs arrived at the Logan Township Police Department about 4:30 p.m. March 21 for an interview after calling the department with information regarding the incident. Spriggs told officers he wanted to “clear people’s names” and he was the one who “threw (the victim) down the steps,” according to the affidavit.

Spriggs said he was friends with Ortega, who picked him up at his residence the night of the incident, the police report states.

Spriggs told officers he left the party at the victim’s apartment before realizing he had left his alcohol behind. He went back to the party to retrieve it, but the tenants wouldn’t allow him back inside. He told officers he grabbed the victim and threw him down the stairs, kicked him once and ran away, court documents state.

Spriggs said he was the only person who grabbed and kicked the victim. When officers told Spriggs the surveillance footage appeared to show multiple people grabbing and kicking the victim, he again stated he was the only one to do so. He said a female friend picked him up following the incident, the report states.

When asked who kicked and punched the security vehicle, Spriggs said he didn’t know. Officers then rewatched the surveillance footage to verify Spriggs’ statement and were able to positively identify him in the video. They noted it appeared the other suspects were the ones trying to push past the victim and other witnesses, while Spriggs “just stood there,” according to the affidavit.

When a scuffle broke out, Spriggs, along with the other suspects, appeared to grab the victim. It appeared Spriggs picked up the victim and, along with the others, fell down the stairs, the report states.

Spriggs is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in front of Dunio on April 10.

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