Tarentum police charge man they say had knife at Praha Hotel

Tarentum police arrested a man Sunday who is accused of pulling a knife on another customer at the Praha Hotel who, police said, responded by drawing a gun.

The incident happened shortly before 6 p.m. Sunday at the bar at Corbet Street and East Fourth Avenue.

In a criminal complaint, borough police said Felix Brun Sondova Blancarte, 34, of Tarentum had been disorderly and was breaking things inside the Praha.

The owner, Ken Gulick, told Blancarte to leave and he did, but Blancarte came back a few minutes later and began to be disruptive again, the police report said.

A bar patron, identified as Jeff Jones, began to escort Blancarte out of the bar, according to the complaint.

“Once outside, Blancarte pulled out and displayed a knife to Jones,” the complaint said. “Jones in turn responded by pulling out his firearm.”

A Tarentum officer said he saw Jones pointing a gun at Blancarte outside the bar when he arrived at the scene. Both men were handcuffed and placed in the back of separate police vehicles. Officers from Tarentum, Brackenridge and Harrison responded.

Police said they found a folding knife in Blancarte’s left front pocket.

Jones was not charged with any offense. Police Chief William Vakulick said Jones was not charged because he was defending himself, and “all was legal.”

Jones was armed with a .45 caliber Glock 30, Vakulick said.

Jones declined to comment or answer any questions at the scene Sunday.

Gulick said he had been upstairs and had not witnessed the incident.

Tarentum police charged Blancarte with simple assault and recklessly endangering another person, both misdemeanors. He was arraigned and released on an unsecured $2,500 bond.