By Courtney L. Anderson
Herald Staff Writer
FARRELL
October 07, 2009 11:10 pm
—
The third person accused of kidnapping and torturing a man in Farrell last month turned herself in Wednesday afternoon, Southwest Mercer County Regional police Chief Riley Smoot Jr. said.
Kylie Altman, 26, of New Castle, showed up at the Farrell district court with her lawyer and was arraigned on charges in connection with the beating of Patrick Ryan Mendoza of Gilbert, Ariz., who was held hostage for several days in September at a home on Fruit Avenue, Smoot said.
Ms. Altman and brothers Ronald E. “Boobie” Clarke II, 37, of Avondale, Ariz., and Drake “Snookie” Clark, 32, of Sharon are scheduled for preliminary hearings Oct. 20. All three were taken to Mercer County Jail after failing to post bond.
Clarke was arrested Tuesday morning after a traffic stop in New Castle and Clark was arrested last week.
Police said Mendoza was in town to sell crack cocaine to support his pregnant girlfriend and lost drugs that Clarke had given him to sell. On Sept. 22, Clarke pulled a shotgun on Mendoza at 1143 Fruit Ave., forced Mendoza to strip and had Ms. Altman tie Mendoza up, police said.
Over the course of four days, Mendoza was beaten, nearly drowned and kept in a closet, police said. Mendoza escaped Sept. 25 after smashing a window with his head and calling for help, police said.
He was treated at UPMC Horizon, Farrell, and UPMC Presbyterian, Pittsburgh, and released Sept. 28.
Clarke is charged with kidnapping, unlawful restraint and four counts each of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, terroristic threats, conspiracy and disorderly conduct.
Ms. Altman is charged with aggravated assault, kidnapping, unlawful restraint, conspiracy, three counts of reckless endangerment and two counts of disorderly conduct.
Clark, who spells his last name differently than his brother, is charged with simple assault, disorderly conduct, conspiracy and four counts of reckless endangerment.
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