Two Tyrone men, 24-year-old Nicholas and 21-year-old Michael McClellan, suspected in crimes here, were arrested in July in the state of Georgia.
Earlier this month, the pair had their initial court appearance when they were arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Fred Miller after being returned to the area.
On Tuesday, the men were scheduled for preliminary hearings on charges involving the events of July 11 in Tyrone. Instead, both men decided to waive their right to a hearing and their cases have moved to the Blair County Court level.
Tyrone Police went to the scene of an accident on Adams Avenue in the early morning hours of July 11 and discovered a car had struck a telephone pole with no one in or around the vehicle.
A witness told police that two “younger” white men had been driving the car and they were not hurt in the accident. The witness told police the men said they would return to the scene with a truck to pull the car from the pole. Another witness gave police similar details.
Police learned the car belonged to Diane K. Bollinger of W. 19th Street. Police went to Bollinger’s home and asked her if there were any young men staying at the residence. Bollinger said there were not and she was told her car had been found wrecked. Police found the garage at the residence open and discovered a pick-up truck belonging to Bollinger was also missing.
Beachem explained that through witness statements and other information, police determined the two men were possibly Bollinger’s grandsons.
Later on the day of the vehicle thefts, Tyrone Police received word of a 17-year-old Tyrone girl who had gone missing. Her mother told police she had not seen the teen since July 8. The police later learned the girl had possibly gone with the McClellans in the stolen truck.
A week after the motor vehicle thefts, police learned all three were in St. Mary’s, GA and authorities there were contacted. Police in Georgia contacted Tyrone Police on July 21 and told them the McClellans were in custody and the girl had been placed with juvenile authorities. Police said Michael McClellan had been working in a restaurant in Georgia and Bollinger’s truck was recovered.
The McClellans were charged with two felony counts each for burglary, two felony counts each for criminal trespass and one felony count each for conspiracy to commit burglary, theft by unlawful taking and one count for interfering with custody of a child.
They also face misdemeanor charges for endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors and criminal mischief.
After their arraignment earlier this month, they were placed in Blair County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail each. Judge Miller said additional charges were filed against the McClellans and they were arraigned on those charges on Tuesday. He said both men waived their right to a hearing on those charges and their bail was amended to $125,000 each. Both men were remanded to the prison.
The girl was released to the custody of her parents last month and returned to the area.
