Man Arrested After Westmoreland Co. Machete Attack
PENN TOWNSHIP (KDKA) - A man has been arrested after allegedly attacking another man with a machete in Westmoreland County.
According to police, the incident happened at a home in the 4000-block of Bushy Run Road in Penn Township around 4:30 p.m. Friday.
The victim, David Smith, received a call from his ex-girlfriend earlier in the day after she was involved in an accident. Smith went to the scene of the accident and gave the woman a ride to her parents' house on Bushy Run Road.
When they arrived, he began helping her to bring items into the house. However, her current boyfriend, 55-year-old David Clara, was at the house waiting for them.
Clara allegedly began to yell at Smith in an attempt to start a fight. The two eventually exchanged words, which prompted Clara to retrieve a machete from his vehicle.
Clara then approached Smith and swung the machete at his head at least two times. Smith was able to avoid harm initially, but Clara struck him in the head four times with the heel of the machete.
He then allegedly raised the machete and said, "I'm going to kill you," before swinging it in a downward motion at Smith's head.
Smith was able to block the blow with his left hand. When officers arrived at the home, they found Smith bleeding heavily from the hand, which had since been wrapped in a towel.
Clara fled the scene in his vehicle, but police were able to locate him after speaking with his ex-wife. He was taken into custody in a nearby Primanti Brothers parking lot.
Clara is facing a list of charges including, criminal attempted homicide, aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person.
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