ALTOONA, PA — Two men are facing drug and weapons charges following a traffic stop and search warrant execution on March 20.
Members of the Altoona Police Department and Blair County Drug Task Force conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that left 1906 5th Ave. for multiple traffic infractions.
K-9 Blue was deployed and alerted to the vehicle.
Consent was provided and drug paraphernalia was located inside the vehicle.
Forest Martin Van Liew, 41, of Altoona, was taken into custody for possessing paraphernalia.
While being searched at the police department, 11 grams of crack cocaine with an approximate street value of $1,100 was located on Van Liew’s person.
Officers applied for and obtained a search warrant for the residence at 1906 5th Ave.
The search warrant was executed by the Altoona Police Department’s Tactical Response Team.
A male fled from the residence out of a second-floor window and onto the roof.
The male jumped from rooftop to rooftop until officers persuaded him to surrender.
The male was identified as Tavien Aurandt, 20, of Huntingdon, who had two outstanding warrants through Pennsylvania State Police Huntingdon and Huntingdon County Sheriff’s Office.
During the search warrant, officers located approximately 70 grams of cocaine with a street value of approximately $7,000, an AR-15 rifle, a homemade 12-gauge shotgun, a large amount of ammunition, $1,126 in U.S. currency and multiple pieces of packaging material including vacuum seal bags and digital scales.
Aurandt was charged with possession with intent to deliver, escape and person not to possess a firearm.
Van Liew was charged with possession with intent to deliver, possession of controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Both men were transported to Blair County Prison and arraigned.
Both were committed to Blair County Prison on $250,000 cash bail.
