A city man is charged with aggravated assault after allegedly fracturing someone’s skull during an argument over baseball cards.

Terry Lynn Merritts, 61, was arraigned Thursday by Magisterial District Judge Benjamin F. Jones on two felony counts of aggravated assault and one felony count of flight to elude apprehension, as well as a single misdemeanor recklessly endangering another person and possessing an instrument. of murder. Unable to post $150,000 bail, Merritts was remanded to the Blair County Jail.

Officers with the Altoona Police Department were called to an assault along the 1000 block of Fifth Avenue around 5:46 p.m. Wednesday, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Officers found the victim unresponsive and a witness holding paper towels to the victim’s head to stop the bleeding, court documents state.

Although the witness did not see the attack, she said the victim told her “Terry” did it to him before his condition deteriorated. AMED then arrived and took the victim to UPMC Altoona for treatment, police records show.

Officers spoke with Merritts’ upstairs neighbor, who said he heard an altercation over baseball cards between Merritts and the victim, but could not confirm what happened because he did not see it, police records show.

At UPMC Altoona, officers interviewed the victim while he was awaiting treatment. The victim stayed with the Merritts until about a week ago and returned to the residence to retrieve some of his items, but said there was a discrepancy regarding the location of the baseball cards, according to the affidavit.

The victim told officers that Merritts allegedly began swearing at him and hit him on the top of the head with a long, stick-like object and in the stomach area.

Officers observed a gash the size of a golf ball on the victim’s head and later learned the victim had suffered a fractured skull, court documents state.

Once a search warrant for the Merritts’ residence was compiled and approved, officers identified themselves several times before forcing entry. Officers had to retrieve Merritts from a couch after he refused to get off of his own accord, police records show.

While being taken into custody, Merritts said the victim “attacked him first.” Merritts also allegedly admitted that the gun he used to attack the victim was in the basement, which was later found by a detective.

Merritts is scheduled for a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Daniel C. DeAntonio on Nov. 27.