A couple’s fight late on Christmas Eve left a man with stab wounds and a New Stanton woman facing aggravated assault charges.
State police initially responded to a 911 call from the mother of Julie L. Thomas, 21, who said she’d received text messages from Thomas that Jamel C. Miles was at her New Stanton Manor apartment and had broken her glasses, according to a criminal complaint filed by Tpr. Tony Anthony. Thomas told police that Miles punched her in the face and began choking her to the point that she was unable to breathe.
“Thomas related in self-defense she grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed (Miles) in the back,” Anthony wrote.
Shortly after talking with Thomas, state police stopped Miles after spotting him walking through the apartment complex’s parking lot.
Miles allegedly admitted to violating an existing protection-from-abuse order, but told police a different version of events.
Miles said Thomas was extremely intoxicated and vomiting when he and a friend stopped by the apartment for pizza and pasta.
Eventually, the two began arguing over Thomas allegedly texting another man, according to the criminal complaint.
“At that time, Thomas came at him, punching him. He threw her to the ground,” Anthony wrote in the criminal complaint. “As Miles and (his friend) exited the residence, Thomas approached him from behind and stabbed him in the right shoulder-blade region, then slicing his left bicep.”
Police said Miles appeared to be bleeding from his right shoulder blade, and said he “fell on rocks,” only later telling police about the stabbing incident while being treated at Forbes Hospital.
Thomas faces one felony count of aggravate assault along with misdemeanor charges of simple assault, tampering with evidence, making false statements and harassment.
Miles faces misdemeanor charges of defiant trespass, disorderly conduct, public drunkenness and harassment.
Both face Jan. 8 preliminary hearings in Judge Charles D. Moore’s Scottdale court.
