Man gets jail for borough stabbing

NORRISTOWN » A 28-year-old Pottstown resident is headed to jail in connection with the stabbing of a 35-year-old man at the corner of South and Washington streets in the borough.

Michael Rodgers, who also goes by Mikayla, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to nine to 23 months in the county jail on an aggravated assault charge to which Rodgers pleaded guilty in connection with the 10:27 p.m. Aug. 5, 2017, stabbing incident. With the guilty plea Rodgers, of the 300 block of King Street, admitted to attempting to cause bodily injury with a deadly weapon.

Judge Richard P. Haaz, who accepted a plea agreement in the matter, also ordered Rodgers to complete three years’ probation following parole, meaning Rodgers will be under court supervision for about five years.

The judge ordered Rodgers to

have no contact with the victim and to complete an anger management counseling program as conditions of the sentence.

An investigation began when Pottstown police were dispatched to the 400 block of South Street for a report of a stabbing. Witnesses reported seeing a male suspect, dressed as a female, fleeing from the scene, according to the arrest affidavit.

Police found a 35-yearold man lying on the sidewalk in the 400 block of South Street “holding a

blood soaked wash cloth on his abdomen,” according to the criminal complaint filed by Pottstown Detective Heather Long. The victim was transported by Goodwill Ambulance to a local hospital for treatment.

The victim told police that Rodgers stabbed him while he and Rodgers were engaged in an argument. The stab wound appeared to be about one-inch in length, according to the arrest affidavit.

Police proceeded to Rodgers’ address on King Street and there found Rodgers as well as the knife used during the assault, according to court documents. In a statement to police, Rodgers

admitted possessing a knife during the altercation and admitted becoming angry while discussing a deceased friend with the victim, according to court papers.

Rodgers allegedly admitted to being in an altercation involving punches with the victim but at the time denied stabbing the victim, court documents indicate.

“The knife that was recovered from Rodgers was approximately one inch in diameter,” Long alleged in the arrest affidavit.

Other charges of possessing a weapon, recklessly endangering another person and simple assault were dismissed against Rodgers as part of the plea agreement.