Williamsport Man Jailed Without Bail Following Alleged Axe Attacks

Williamsport Man Jailed Without Bail Following Alleged Axe Attacks – Williamsport Bureau of Police lodged a Memorial Avenue man in the Lycoming County prison without bail for allegedly attacking neighbors on New Year’s Eve.

Around 11:40 a.m., all on duty city police units were triple tone dispatched to 1213 Memorial Avenue for a man armed with a knife or machete-type weapon who was actively attempting to hurt people.

Units converged on the scene and approached the second floor apartment and began entering the kitchen, just as a woman inside ran towards them, her hands and arms covered in blood. The woman, Christeen Heckel, was screaming hysterically, “He tried to kill me. He tried to kill me. He has an axe. He’s upstairs. Somebody is holding him down on the bed. They’re on the third floor.”

Police heard a male voice yelling “I’m holding him down,” from the third floor apartment where Heckel and Basil Garcia resided. As police moved to the third floor, they found the suspect, Lane Melburn Johnson III, lying face down on the bed.

Garcia was lying directly on top of him, holding Johnson’s hands out in front of him, who was clutching a large double-edged axe in his right hand. Johnson was also grasping one of the blade areas with his left hand. When he refused to surrender the weapon, police were able to get the axe out of his hand. Johnson was screaming profanities as police subdued and handcuffed him, his hands and face covered in blood.

“He was in an extreme state of rage and agitation and sweating profusely,” Officer Paulhamus said. Johnson was transported to the Williamsport Hospital for treatment and jailed following his release from the ER.

Heckel and Basil, along with  Johnson’s next-door neighbors, Johnathan Huffman, his wife, Alexis and brother Allan, went to Johnson’s apartment to play cards and drink beer that night. Heckel and Basil had left earlier, before Johnson became very drunk. Johnathan decided it was time to leave when Johnson became belligerent. Johnathan’s wife, Alexis, put her coat on and began to walk towards the rear door, which enraged Johnson, who ran into his bedroom then reappeared holding an axe in his hand. Johnathan jumped in front of Johnson and pushed him back.Johnson began to yell “I’m going to kill you and cut your [expletive] head off,” several times at Alexis, who ran out the back door.

Johnathan held Johnson back while Johnson yelled at him, “I’m going to hurt you if you don’t get out of my way.” Then he raised the axe over his head and tried to strike Huffman in the head and face with the weapon. Huffman was able to stop the blow from hitting him, and as soon as he saw that his wife was safely outside, he released Johnson. Johnson ran to the rear door where Alexis had fled; however, Johnathan’s brother, Allan, was outside, holding the door shut. Johnson violently struck the axe against the door several times while Johnathan fled out the front entrance. He found his wife and brother outside safe; Alexis was on the phone with the 911 dispatcher, he said in an affidavit.

Johnson then allegedly entered the third floor apartment of Heckel and Garcia where both were sleeping in bed. Johnson began calling Garcia names and telling him to leave, then yelled at Heckel, “Get the [expletive] out you [expletive]. I’m going to [expletive] kill you. I’m going to cut your [expletive] head off.”

Heckel attempted to talkJohnson into dropping the weapon as he continued to threaten her. Garcia then saw Johnson raise the axe over his head and swing at Heckel’s face and head area. She ducked out of the way and pinned Johnson against the wall, who was violently swinging the axe at both victims. They were able to avoid the blows and eventually, Garcia was able to hold Johnson down while Heckel fled the apartment.

Johnson was arraigned before District Judge James G. Carn on two counts of attempted homicide, four counts each of aggravated assault and terroristic threats, and one count of possession of an instrument of crime.