Man attacked in apartment early today
A man was attacked with a hammer and a sweeper during a home invasion early this morning on West Cunningham Street, Butler police said.
The victim was left bloodied from a head injury but apparently was not seriously hurt.
A short time after the attack, police arrested one of the three suspects.
Dennis E. Giles, 37, of Pittsburgh is in the Butler County Prison on $75,000 bail. He is charged with burglary, robbery, conspiracy and defiant trespass.
Meanwhile, police continue to search for the other two suspects, a man and woman.
Capt. David Dalcamo said police were called just before 1 a.m. to Dean Krelko’s apartment in the 300 block of West Cunningham Street. They found Krelko and Heather Grosskopf, who apparently rents a room from Krelko at the apartment.
Krelko, 51, said he was drinking beer when three people forced their way in.
It was unclear if he knew Giles. He told police that he did not recognize the other man and knew the woman only by the name “Emily.”
Grosskopf said she was in another room when heard Krelko yell for help. She came out and saw a man, later identified as Giles, hitting Krelko about his head with a hammer, Dalcamo said.
The other man was hitting Krelko with some kind of sweeper.
The suspects then fled, with Giles allegedly taking two cell phones that belonged to Krelko.
Butler Fire Department paramedics tended to Krelko’s injuries while police searched for the suspects.
Officers spotted two people walking nearby. But by the time they got there, Giles was the only one there, police said. He was carrying Krelko’s phones.
The officers took Giles back to Krelko’s apartment. Krelko and Grosskopf identified Giles as one of the suspects.
