Published: November 21, 2009 10:39 pm      

Teen charged with attempted homicide

JENNERSTOWN — A teen faces attempted homicide and assault charges after he allegedly cut a juvenile’s throat at a drinking party.

State police said 19-year-old Tyler A. Helmick of Boswell and a male juvenile from Stoystown were at an underage drinking party late Friday on Pine Springs Camp Road in Jenner Township.

Police said Helmick “repeatedly used racial slurs” toward the juvenile, whose name and age were not released.

The slurs led to a physical altercation after the juvenile confronted Helmick, police said.

During the fight, Helmick allegedly hit the victim with a glass. The glass broke, “causing several severe lacerations to the victim’s throat,” police said in a press release issued Saturday.

No further information on the victim’s condition was available Saturday.

Helmick was charged with criminal attempted homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.

He was arraigned before District Judge Joseph Cannoni and sent to Somerset County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bond.