Judge grants bail request for Altoona man who was left bruised, bloody after arrest
Kuhn’s detention after alleged chase left him bruised, bloody
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A Blair County judge granted a bail modification request Friday in the case of the 71-year-old city man whose detention left him bruised and bloody, allegedly at the hands of the arresting officer.
James Paul Kuhn was taken into custody by Altoona police on July 13 after a turn signal violation evolved into an alleged high-speed chase and subsequent altercation. His bail was initially set at $100,000 but was lowered to 10% of $50,000 following his July 22 preliminary hearing. Unable to pay, he has been held at the Blair County Prison since his arrest.
President Judge Wade A. Kagarise issued an order Oct. 9 further modifying Kuhn's bail to $50,000 unsecured, to be effective Friday, Oct. 16.
In the order, Kagarise wrote that Kuhn would be under house arrest and GPS electronic monitoring through the Blair County Adult Parole and Probation Office. Kuhn will only be permitted to leave his residence "for medical appointments and other appointments deemed essential."
Before Kuhn's release, the parole and probation office will conduct a home visit to "ensure that Kuhn possesses no weapons in his residence," Kagarise wrote.
While the costs of Kuhn's electronic monitoring will initially be covered by Blair County, if he is convicted in the case, "he may be responsible to repay said funds as part of his sentence," Kagarise wrote.
Kagarise heard arguments for and against the modification of Kuhn's bail during a pre-trial motions hearing Oct. 1.
Chief Public Defender Julia Burke had asked for Kuhn's bail to be changed to unsecured, saying Kuhn had no financial means to pay for an ankle monitor but that he would comply with any pre-trial services.
First Assistant District Attorney Nichole Smith objected to the request and described Kuhn's criminal history as "extremely serious."
"I'm asserting he is a risk certainly to any law enforcement, but also, by extension, to the community," Smith had said, then added that medical furloughs were available for Kuhn to be treated.
Kuhn faces single felony counts of aggravated assault and fleeing police, single misdemeanor counts of evading arrest, recklessly endangering another person and resisting arrest, as well as five summary traffic offenses. His case is scheduled for jury selection Nov. 19.
Mirror Staff Writer Rachel Foor-Musselman is at 814-946-7458.