Oil City Woman Charged with Attempted Homicide After Allegedly Firing Gun at Victim

| April 11, 2019

OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) – An Oil City woman is behind bars after allegedly firing a gun at another woman during a dispute Wednesday at a North Street residence.

Court documents indicate 43-year-old Deania Holmes, of Oil City, was arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Matthew T. Kirtland at 5:20 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, on the following charges:

  • Criminal Attempt – Criminal Homicide
  • Criminal Attempt – Aggravated Assault, Felony 1
  • Intimidate Witness/Victim – Refrain From Report, Felony 1
  • Discharge Of A Firearm Into Occupied Structure, Felony 3
  • Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Misdemeanor 2

She was lodged in the Venango County Jail with bail denied and “Danger to self and others” and “Flight risk” listed as the bail action reasons.

According to a criminal complaint filed by the Oil City Police Department, Ptlm. Rosenberger was dispatched Wednesday around 2:24 a.m. to a residence on North Street for a report of a female yelling from inside a residence. Ptlm. Karns advised Ptlm. Rosenberger to go to the back of the home as he had seen a female that appeared to be attempting to flee the residence.

During the investigation, the female was taken into custody and transported back to the Oil City Police station.

According to the complaint, at the station, the known female asked Ptlm. Rosenberger if she could talk to him about the incident that led to her being taken into custody. The woman began crying and stated she was shot at during a disturbance at the North Street residence.

During and interview with Ptlm. Rosenberger, the female stated that she had been in a verbal argument with Deania Holmes and attempted to flee the residence through the basement door. According to the complaint, the victim reported that while running towards the basement door, she heard a gunshot and “saw pieces of the door fly off in front of her.” She said Holmes then threatened her with bodily harm “should she make a report of the incident.”

Based on the interview, Ptlm. Rosenberger applied for and was granted a search warrant for the residence. During the execution of the search warrant, officers located a 9mm shell casing as well as the bullet that was discharged by Holmes in the basement of the residence. The officers also located a box which previously contained a Ruger 9mm handgun that was located in a closet of the bedroom Holmes occupied.

According to the complaint, Ptlm. Rosenberger also located other evidence, not disclosed in the complaint, that corroborated the statements made by the victim.

Based on the investigation, the charges were filed through Magisterial District Judge Matthew T. Kirtland’s office.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 17, with Judge Kirtland presiding.


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