MOUNT CARMEL - A borough man remains in Northumberland County Prison following an assault on Sixth Street Sunday morning in which one attacker was slashed in the arm by the victim, causing minor injuries.
Police charged Lawerance E. Pfaff, 53, of 216 S. Chestnut St., with aggravated assault and related charges after allegedly threatening Jesse Carberry, of 27 E. Sixth St., Apt. 1, with a knife at 12:20 a.m. in the area of East Sixth Street.
In response to the threat, according to police, Carberry pulled his own knife and slashed it about to keep Pfaff and another attacker, Christopher K. Phelan Jr., of 336 S. Locust St., Mount Carmel, at bay.
Phelan, who was also charged aggravated assault and other charges, suffered three minor wounds to his arm and was treated at the scene, according to court documents filed by Borough Police Lt. Christopher Buhay.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Carberry was walking with his dog west on Sixth Street near Hickory Street when he saw three people - later identified as Pfaff, Phelan and Phelan's wife, Patricia, who is also Pfaff's daughter - walking toward him. When they passed each other, Pfaff allegedly made disparaging remarks about Carberry and his dog. Carberry said he told the three to have a good night and kept walking.
Christopher Phelan and Pfaff kept calling him names and Carberry said he kept walking to his residence. When he arrived home, Carberry said he noticed Christopher Phelan coming toward him, making threats. Carberry said he tied up his dog and took off his glasses, expecting to be struck by Phelan. Carberry said he backed away, telling Phelan to leave him alone.
Carberry said Phelan began punching, kicking and grabbing him. Carberry pushed Phelan to the ground and Pfaff began chest bumping Carberry. Patricia Phelan tried to push her family members away and her husband left the area.
According to police, Pfaff then produced a knife and said he was going to stab Carberry to death. Christopher Phelan returned to the scene and attempted to kick Carberry while the victim held Pfaff's arm to keep the knife from moving.
Pfaff allegedly said he had another knife in his other hand, causing Carberry to push him away, which allowed Chris Phelan to strike Carberry in the face, police said.
Police also said Christopher Phelan and Pfaff kicked and punched Carberry's dog during the incident and the dog got off the leash.
Carberry produced his own knife and began yelling to leave him alone and keep away, according to officers. Police said Carberry made slashing motions with his own knife while Phelan came at him, cutting Phelan two or three times.
Christopher Phelan, Carberry and Phelan's wife were taken to the station for questioning. Pfaff left the scene before police arrived, police said. Chris Phelan told police he was assaulted by Carberry and was trying to help his father-in-law, Pfaff.
Patricia Phelan told police during questioning that she, her husband and her father were drinking in town and Pfaff had words with Carberry and pulled a knife.
Pfaff was later found in the area of Sixth and Chestnut streets and taken to the police department, where he refused to give a statement and told police to "do whatever you need to do," police said.
Charges
Pfaff was charged by police with two felony counts of aggravated assault, two misdemeanor counts of simple assault, misdemeanor charges of terroristic threats, possessing instruments of a crime, prohibited offensive weapons, recklessly endangering another person and disorderly conduct.
He was arraigned Sunday before Magisterial District Judge Hugh Jones, of Mount Carmel, and placed in Northumberland County Prison on $50,000 bail.
Christopher Phelan was charged two felony counts of aggravated assault, two misdemeanor counts of simple assault, one misdemeanor count each of terrorist threats, reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct.