Police: Local Man Pistol Whipped During Altercation

| April 4, 2020

FOREST CO., Pa. (EYT) – Charges have been filed against a man who reportedly hit a victim in the face with a pistol during an altercation early Friday morning.

According to court documents, Marienville-based State Police filed criminal charges against 52-year-old Thomas Andrew Grates, of Tarentum, in Magisterial District Judge Daniel L. Miller’s office.

On Friday, April 3, PSP Marienville received a report of an altercation that had occurred at the intersection of State Route 668 and Balltown Road, in Kingsley Township, Forest County.

The victim told police he and Thomas Grates had been in a verbal altercation that had turned physical. The victim reported Grates reached toward his back pocket and removed a firearm, then struck the victim in the face with the firearm, causing a laceration to the victim’s face. Grates then reportedly held the firearm to the victim’s head and pushed the victim to the ground, according to a criminal complaint.

A large laceration was observed in the victim’s face.

Trooper Schmader then traveled to a camp on Belltown Road where Grates was staying. Upon making contact with Grates, he was taken into custody. Upon searching Grates, a Ruger LCP 380 pistol was located in his right back pocket. He was read his Miranda warning before being interviewed.

Grates reportedly told police that he and the victim had met to “handle it like men” after having a verbal altercation, then went on to say that at some point in the altercation, he had struck the victim in the head with “an object” but couldn’t remember the exact item. He said it could have been “a gun, a rock, or my fist,” and then refused to comment further on the incident, the complaint indicates.

Grates was arraigned in Judge Miller’s office at 8:20 a.m. on Friday, April 3, on the following charges:

– Aggravated Assault – Attempts to Cause or Causes Bodily Injury With Deadly Weapon, Felony 2
– Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 2
– Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Misdemeanor 2
– Terroristic Threats With Intent To Terrorize Another, Misdemeanor 2
– Harassment – Subject Other to Physical Contact, Summary

Grates was lodged in Warren County Jail on $25,000.00 monetary bail.

His bail was changed on April 3 to non-monetary condition, with the bail action reason: “no contact with victim.”

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 21, with Judge Miller presiding.


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