CLEARFIELD – An Altoona man accused of striking another Altoona man in the face with a hammer after an altercation at a local drug treatment facility waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.
Wade P. Conrad, 23, is accused of aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and harassment.
Court records indicate that on Jan. 17, Conrad and another man had some sort of verbal altercation at Discovery House in Pike Township. The two men and their passengers then departed the drug treatment facility in separate vehicles. Conrad is reported to have pulled in front of the other man at an intersection in Stronach.
Once the men were stopped, it is reported that the other man and one of his passengers exited their vehicle. Conrad told police that he was fearful, and grabbed a hammer from his vehicle. A scuffle ensued, and Conrad allegedly hit the other man in the face with the hammer.
Conrad disputed this to police however.
“I think the hammer hit him in the chest,” Conrad told state troopers. “I didn’t think i hit him hard.”
The other man’s passengers went to their friend’s aid, and it was reported that Conrad continually threatened him. Conrad fled eventually and disposed of the hammer somewhere.
Conrad is currently in Clearfield County Jail in lieu of $10,000 straight bail.