Man charged in Rensselaer stabbing
Police: Suspect found hiding inside restaurant
RENSSELAER, N.Y. >> A man was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery after being stabbed Monday night on John Street.
City police Det. Scott Earing said the stabbing occurred around 10:30 p.m., and investigators and first responders were on the scene at 17 John St. through- out the night and into the morning hours.
“When they arrived, they located one male in his 40s who had been stabbed in the abdomen,” Earing explained. “He was transported to Albany Medical Center and underwent surgery.”
Earing said the unidentified victim was listed in stable condition Tuesday afternoon.
Aided by state police criminal and forensic investigators, city police were eventually led about a half-mile from the scene, to June’s Restaurant, at 501 East St., where, Earing said, they found Michael S. Berghela, 41, who lived at 17 John St., hiding inside.
“The victim and the suspect do know each other, [ but] they do not live together,” Earing said.
“The motive behind this, at this point, we cannot release. It wasn’t a random act, since they knew each other.”
Earing said Berghela was taken into custody without incident and is charged with first- degree assault and thirdand fourth- degree criminal possession of a weapon.
He was scheduled to be arraigned in City Court.