Three people were detained over the weekend after Altoona police responded to a knife-related break-in on Saturday night.
Kenneth Pownell, 24, Carolynn Neiswonger, 20, and Chelsea Irwin, 23, all of Altoona, were arrested Sept. 26 after being discovered in the area of the reported break-in on the 1100 block of 8th Avenue.
According to their criminal charges, police were dispatched to the apartment only to discover the three suspects a few blocks away. The trio said that a resident took a wedding band and then walked to the flat to reclaim it.
Police spoke with the victim, who stated that he heard the doorbell and went to answer it, anticipating a pizza delivery person, but instead discovered Pownell on the other side of the door. According to the accusations, Pownell started ranting about the ring being stolen. The victim stated Pownell was holding a foot-long wrench and an eight-inch knife in his hands. When the victim tried to close the door, Pownell allegedly hurled the knife, shattering the glass before escaping.
When police halted the trio, they initially claimed the victim snatched the knife from Pownell and inflicted the damage to the door on his own. According to the complaint, investigators caught Pownell convincing the women to lie about their interactions with the victim. It was also revealed that Neiswonger and Irwin were aware of Pownell’s plans. When asked about the wrench and knife beforehand, he allegedly said, “I’m gonna smack them along the head.”
Pownell was searched, and a knife case was discovered on his person. According to the allegations, a wrench was also discovered in a bush near where he was standing.
Pownell was charged with burglary, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, reckless endangerment, possessing a criminal instrument, criminal mischief, interfering with property, and tampering with evidence. He was booked into Blair County Prison, and his bail was set at $50,000.
Neiswonger and Irwin were each charged with conspiracy to conduct aggravated assault. They were incarcerated in Blair County Prison, with bail set at 10% of $15,000.
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