Deluca

HOLLIDAYSBURG — A two-day jury trial ended Thursday in the conviction of an Altoona man who assaulted a victim with a pool cue and fired a round close to the victim’s head in April 2020.

The Blair County District Attorney’s Office said that Alexander DeLuca, 30, was convicted of aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, concealing a weapon without a license and other related charges.

“The Commonwealth is pleased with the verdict of the jury given the hard work of both the Logan Township and Altoona police departments,” Blair County Assistant District Attorney Derek Elensky said in a release. “This case is another example of increasing violence that has been shown in Blair County and across the country involving drugs and the use of weapons to try to settle drug disputes. The Commonwealth will seek a significant sentence in this case, due to the violence caused by the defendant and the danger that he poses to society.”

The case stems from a March 29, 2020, incident in which DeLuca was carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle without a license, as well as actively using drugs in front of Patrolman Barry Fry of the Logan Township Police Department.

DeLuca was later arrested in an April 30, 2020, incident in which he and co-defendant Trevor Latchford allegedly lured a victim to their residence and assaulted him by repeatedly striking his head with a pool cue before DeLuca fired a round in close proximity to the victim.

Initial charges stated that DeLuca messaged a man, who was a friend of DeLuca’s, and said he had entered DeLuca’s home “hundreds of times,” demanding the victim come see him or else DeLuca would send “ugly people to bring you to me.”

The man, unsure of why DeLuca was upset, tried to call DeLuca several times, but DeLuca would not answer the phone.

The man eventually entered DeLuca’s home at 2000 Third Ave., about 10 p.m. that night.

The man told police that once he entered the house, DeLuca became erratic and screamed at him, accusing him of “scoping his residence so other people could rob him.”

Police said DeLuca pulled a handgun from his waistband and pointed it at the victim, as did Latchford, allegedly.

The victim turned away and told the pair that if they were going to shoot him, they would have to shoot him in the back.

After Latchford allegedly pointed the barrel of the gun at the man’s chest and used the gun to turn the man around and face them, DeLuca struck the man about the face and head with the pool cue, leaving a 4-inch gash on his forehead.

Police said DeLuca broke the pool cue in the attack, and after the man pleaded for him to stop, DeLuca pointed the gun at him and fired a round at him after telling him to “shut up, you are being too loud.”

Latchford is set to appear for a preliminary conference May 10.

The felony one aggravated assault charge of attempting or causing serious bodily injury has a standard guideline range.

The prosecution was led by assistant district attorneys Elensky and Jessica Weil, with lead police officers Fry and Detective Sergeant Terry Merritts of the Altoona Police Department.

Sentencing will occur at a later date at the Blair County Courthouse.