Evaluation report needed in assault of hospital worker

The court is awaiting a psychiatric report in the case of the Tyrone man accused of attacking a “safety sitter” while in the UPMC Altoona Emergency Department in early November 2025.

Chief Public Defender Julia Burke told President Judge Wade A. Kagarise during a trial list review hearing Thursday that Bradley Scott Lloyd, 40, was recently evaluated and that she was awaiting a psychiatric report. Burke had filed documents requesting the evaluation in January, seeking a determination in Lloyd’s competency or criminal responsibility in the case.

Kagarise scheduled Lloyd’s next court appearance for April 16.

Lloyd faces three felony counts of aggravated assault, two misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and a misdemeanor count of simple assault. He is being held at the Blair County Prison after being denied bail.

City man headed to trial in New Year’s Day shooting

One of the city teenagers allegedly involved in the 2024 New Year’s Day shooting is heading for jury selection after failing to reach a resolution in his two separate but related cases.

James William Fisher, 20, was given a month to mull over a possible plea deal offered in February by the Blair County District Attorney’s Office. That deal was for five to 20 years’ incarceration in a state correctional facility to resolve the case in which he’s facing single felony counts of criminal attempt criminal homicide, conspiracy — criminal homicide and related charges.

“We have failed to reach an agreement on this matter and Fisher desires to proceed to trial,” defense attorney Scott Pletcher told presiding President Judge Wade A. Kagarise.

Fisher appeared alongside Pletcher for his trial list review hearing Thursday afternoon. Pletcher said District Attorney Pete Weeks had rejected a counter offer of five to 10 years’ incarceration, “unless (Weeks) wants five to 15” years.

Weeks said he was “not comfortable” with that deal.

Kagarise asked Weeks if the DA’s Office would consider a deal of five to 10 years in a state prison, to be followed by five years’ probation.

“Why don’t you supply, in writing, what your final offer is,” Kagarise advised Weeks. “And whether you’ll consider what the court mentioned.”

Kagarise then ordered Weeks to give Fisher and Pletcher his final plea offer within seven days. He then scheduled Fisher for jury selection on April 20 in case a resolution was not reached.

Fisher was one of seven teenagers arrested and charged in 2024 after shots were fired along the 700 block of Fourth Street in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day. An ensuing police investigation found it was a planned act of gang violence following a long-standing dispute.

He has been held at the Blair County Prison since

Feb. 14, 2024, in lieu of his $250,000 bail.

— Compiled by Rachel Foor-Musselman