An 18-year-old teenager from Tyrone was arrested along with two other boys on his birthday for allegedly robbing a group of teens in Altoona. The trio allegedly stole shoes and a mobile phone from one of his victims.
On the night of Thursday, January 19, members of the Altoona Police Department were dispatched to the 100 block on 7th Avenue following a report of the robbery.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers received statements from the victims, two aged 15 and 12. Three teenagers reported that a white jeep stopped behind them and two individuals ran up to the 15-year-old boy.
The victim then said one of the suspects picked him up and took off his shoes. They then patted him and took away his cell phone.
The 15-year-old boy told police that his two friends fled but were afraid to move because one of the suspects was standing with his hands near his belt and thought he had a gun. said.
The suspect then said he would flee for five seconds before returning to the Jeep and driving off, according to the victim.
The white jeep was in the 19th and 2nd Avenue area while officers spoke with the victims. A male passenger got out of the car and ran to a nearby house after police started to stop traffic. Police immediately detained and disrupted everyone in the jeep and the individual who ran into the house.
The driver was identified as Tyrone Cameron Walters, 18, and two passengers in the vehicle were identified as 14-year-old boys.
According to police affidavits, Walters picked up one boy in Tyrone and another in Altoona before going to retrieve the bong from one of the boys’ homes. After that he went to buy marijuana. However, when they tried to do so, an argument ensued, and the three left the mansion and drove off.
As they were driving, they came across several people walking near the Salvation Army in Altoona. According to Walters, one of the boys in the jeep got into trouble with one of the children he was walking with and asked Walters to stop.
After Walters stopped the Jeep, two boys reportedly got out of the vehicle and confronted the group, reportedly stealing the 15-year-old victim’s shoes and mobile phone. A mobile phone was thrown out of the window.
According to court documents, officers clearly saw the stolen shoes and smoking paraphernalia inside the Jeep after performing a traffic stop.
The victim was taken to the scene of the traffic stop and identified two juvenile suspects.
Shortly after Walters told officers about the route he and the other suspects had taken after the robbery, the missing cell phone was found on the 800 block on Fifth Avenue.
The two juvenile suspects were taken into custody, according to court documents. However, the charges they face are unknown at this time.
Walters was acquitted Friday, January 20, by District Judge Benjamin F. Jones on felonies of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, as well as misdemeanor charges of minor corruption, theft, receipt of stolen property, and possession of drug paraphernalia. was arraigned before the Unable to post the $35,000 bail, Walters was remanded to Blair County Jail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 1 before District Judge Daniel C. DeAntonio.