SHENANDOAH - A Shenandoah man escaped major injuries after being stabbed Monday evening on South West Street in the borough.
Shortly after 7 p.m. near Cherry and West streets, Maurice Antwan Townsend, 26, of 613 Fairview St., Pottsville, attacked Eric Becker after a verbal confrontation earlier in the day. According to the police criminal complaint, Townsend, also known as "T-Rex," stabbed Becker in the head with a 6-inch knife. The wounds were only skin-deep and did not enter Becker's skull but caused heavy bleeding.
In the affidavit of probable cause filed by Patrolman Joshua Pastucka, he was called to 125 S. West St. for a male who was stabbed in the head and that the victim was lying on the sidewalk bleeding profusely. When Pastucka arrived on the scene, he spoke to Becker, who said a black man called "T-Rex" had stabbed him. A witness, Raymond Iaconelli, Shenandoah, stated that he, his sister, April Halford, and Becker were walking south on West Street to go to Turkey Hill on Main Street. Iaconelli told police that Townsend appeared and lunged at them. Iaconelli said he pushed Townsend away. At that time, another unidentified black male in a Burger King uniform ran up in Townsend's defense. Becker, Halford and Iaconelli tried to explain to him what was going on. Iaconnelli told Pastucka that as they were trying to explain the situation, Townsend pulled out a knife and stabbed Becker in the head.
Becker's account to Pastucka included that he felt a blow to his head when he was looking away and then felt the blood running down his face. He said Halford saw the knife on the ground and picked it up.
Becker also told Pastucka that he had called police earlier in the day because Townsend had allegedly threatened Becker, saying that Becker was going to be his next victim. Pastucka contacted Patrolman Travis Bowman, who had spoken to Becker and took the threat report. Bowman said that Becker had reported to him that there had been a verbal argument between him and Townsend and was told he would be the next victim.
Townsend was taken into custody at the scene and taken to the police station for an interview, during which Townsend allegedly admitted to being in an altercation with Becker earlier in the day. Pastucka said Townsend admitted to telling Backer he would be his next victim if he didn't stop talking about him. When asked by Pastucka what he meant by that threat, Townsend said his last victim was a female he stabbed in July 2012,.
The incident Townsend referred to was when he attacked Cindy Gilbert Arias, Shenandoah, with a knife on July 22. Arias, who is an independent newspaper carrier with The Republican-Herald, was taken to a Pottsville hospital, where she was treated and released. Townsend was convicted of simple assault in the Schuylkill County Court of Common Pleas in December with a sentence of six to 23 months in prison. Prosecutors had dropped charges of disorderly conduct and harassment.
During the interview, Pastucka said Townsend also admitted stabbing Becker in the head on Monday evening.
According to borough police Chief George Carado, Becker refused medical treatment at the scene and said he would seek treatment on his own.
Townsend was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker, Shenandoah, who set straight bail at $500,000 on two counts each of aggravated assault and simple assault, and one count each of attempted criminal homicide, terrorist threats-general, recklessly endangering another person and possessing instruments of crime.
Townsend was committed to Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of bail.