A Unity man was treated at an area hospital for head injuries after he told police his roommate hit him with a hammer early Tuesday.

John A. Olson, 53, also of Unity, was arrested on charges of aggravated assault, harassment, reckless endangerment and simple assault filed by state police after the 1:30 a.m. incident at Olson’s residence in the 1100 block of B Street, just outside of Latrobe, according to Trooper Cory Elliott.

Elliott said that the alleged victim telephoned state police from a Sheetz store along Route 30, where he fled after the incident.

The man told police he went to the convenience store earlier to purchase some items and, when he returned to the residence where he resides with Olson and Olson’s niece, “he was immediately confronted by Olson, who was armed with a hammer,” Elliott wrote in court documents.

According to police, the man said Olson struck him in the head with the hammer.

Elliott said the man had visible injuries on both sides of his head and an ambulance was called to take him to Excela Health Latrobe hospital for treatment.

When troopers arrived at Olson’s residence, Elliott said Olson admitted confronting the man while holding a hammer “but denied striking him.”

Elliott said the residence was equipped with two exterior video cameras that filmed a porch area where the alleged altercation took place, but when troopers attempted to retrieve the video, “the timeframe of the altercation had been deleted on both cameras.”

Based on the man’s injuries “that were consistent with being struck on the head with a hammer” and other evidence, Elliott said Olson was taken into custody at the scene.

The motive of the alleged dispute was not listed in court documents.

Olson could not be reached for comment. He did not have an attorney listed in court documents.

He was released Tuesday afternoon on $5,000 unsecured bond pending a preliminary hearing June 21.

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