Altoona man arrested on gun charges

Miller-Dicken
A city man wanted on gun charges is behind bars after a Good Samaritan tripped him as he ran from police.
Altoona police were dispatched to a disturbance on an Amtran bus about 1:39 p.m. May 5 on the 400 block of East Plank Road.
Police made contact with Skyler Miller-Dicken, 20, and another male. It was determined that Miller-Dicken engaged in a verbal argument with the other male and threatened to beat him up multiple times, police reported.
Eventually, the bus driver called 911 and requested that Miller-Dicken be removed from the bus. Miller-Dicken was ultimately counseled by officers and released on scene.
A few hours later, the bus driver located a cross-body bag left on the bus which contained a Glock 9mm handgun. Upon review of bus video surveillance, it was determined that Miller-Dicken was the only individual in possession of that cross-body bag, according to police.
A criminal history check showed that Miller-Dicken is a person not to possess a firearm due to a previous aggravated assault and possession with intent to deliver drugs conviction.
With that information, police received an arrest warrant for Miller-Dicken on the gun charges, along with a disorderly conduct charge.
He was located about 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Sheetz at 1701 Seventh Ave., but, when officers called out to him, Miller-Dicken began fleeing on foot toward 18th Street and into the alley between Sixth/Seventh avenues before being tripped by a Good Samaritan, the report states.
Miller-Dicken was taken into custody and now faces charges of evading arrest, according to court documents.
Miller-Dicken was arraigned Thursday before Magisterial District Judge Paula M. Aigner on felony counts of possession of a firearm prohibited and firearms not to be carried without a license and a summary charge of disorderly conduct in relation to the May 5 incident.
He was also arraigned on a felony charge of flight to avoid apprehension and a misdemeanor charge of evading arrest.
Bail was set at $75,000 in each case. Unable to post a total of $150,000 bail, he was remanded to the Blair County Prison.
Additionally, a detainer was issued by Blair County Probation/Parole.
His preliminary hearings are set for July 16 before Magisterial District Judge Benjamin F. Jones.