Two Former Altoona Police Officers Charged by Attorney General’s Public Corruption Unit

HARRISBURG – Two former Altoona police officers and another Blair County man face charges following a grand-jury probe into a bar fight that seriously injured a bystander, along with the subsequent attempt to allegedly cover-up the crimes and hinder the official investigation.

Attorney General Linda Kelly announced that Pennsylvania State Police have filed criminal charges against Duane ‘DJ’ Eichenlaub, Eric Kriner (both Altoona City Police Officers at the time of the incident), along with Herman ‘Bo’ Lardieri.

Kelly said the investigation by the Public Corruption Unit focused on the alleged assaults in a Blair County bar over Memorial Day weekend 2010. The incident was referred to the Attorney General’s Office by the Blair County District Attorney because of allegations that the incident involved several local police officers.

Evidence and testimony regarding the case was presented to a statewide investigating grand jury, which recommended the criminal charges being filed today.

According to the grand jury, Eichenlaub and Kriner were at a tavern in Altoona following a fellow police officer’s wedding when Eichenlaub’s wife was allegedly assaulted at the bar by Lardieri. Adrienne Eichenlaub reportedly confronted Lardieri about the assault, which caused him to retreat into the men’s restroom.

Duane Eichenlaub and Kriner allegedly followed Lardieri into the men’s restroom after learning of the assault, causing a fight to erupt between the three men.

The grand jury found that during the course of that fight, a bystander in the restroom attempted to intervene by grabbing Eichenlaub. At that time, Eichenlaub allegedly turned on that man and struck him several times before he fell to the floor. Eichenlaub and Kriner allegedly fled the bar following the altercation.

According to the grand jury, three Altoona Police were dispatched to the scene. While responding to the incident, Eichenlaub reportedly called one of the officers on his cell phone  and told the officer that he (Eichenlaub) and Kriner had ‘tuned a guy up in the bathroom’ and encouraged the investigating officer to ‘make it go away.’

The grand jury found that the lead investigator at the scene did not collect any physical evidence and suppressed information from the bouncer as to the identity of the involved individuals. Additionally, a police report was submitted stating that there were no known suspects.

The defendants were preliminarily arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Todd Kelly. Eichenlaub, Kriner and Lardieri were all released on $100,000 unsecured bail. Their preliminary hearings are scheduled for Wednesday, July 20 at 9:00 a.m.

The case will be prosecuted in Blair County by Senior Deputy Attorney General Jonelle Eshbach of the Attorney General’s Public Corruption Unit.

Kelly thanked the Pennsylvania State Police for their assistance with the investigation.

Below is a complete list of the defendants and the charges against them.

–Duane ‘DJ’ Eichenlaub, 28, 1924 Grant Ave., Altoona, Blair County, is charged with one count of aggravated assault, one count of simple assault, one count of criminal conspiracy to commit hindering apprehension or prosecution, one count of criminal conspiracy to commit tampering with public records or information, and one count of criminal conspiracy to commit obstructing law or other governmental function

–Eric Kriner, 31, 7697 Rt. 219, Brockport, Blair County, is charged with one count of aggravated assault, one count of simple assault, one count of criminal conspiracy to commit hindering apprehension or prosecution, one count of criminal conspiracy to commit tampering with public records or information, and one count of criminal conspiracy to commit obstructing law or other governmental function.

–Herman ‘Bo’Lardieri, III, 39, 617 8th St., Altoona, Blair County, is charged with one count of indecent assault, one count of perjury and one count of false swearing.