Man gets jail for Pottstown stabbing
NORRISTOWN » A Pottstown man who admitted to stabbing another man during a fight in the borough wanted to delay his trip to jail so he could celebrate his son’s birthday, but a judge turned down his request.
“Today’s the day for sentencing. His sentence runs from today,” said Montgomery County Judge William R. Carpenter, adding Trystyn James Griffiths knew for two months that Monday was his sentencing day.
Carpenter, accepting a sentencing agreement, sentenced Griffiths, 21, of the 100 block of South Roland Street, to five to 23 months in jail in connection with the 10:15 p.m. June 20, 2017, altercation that occurred in front
of his home. Sheriff’s deputies immediately handcuffed Griffiths and took him into custody.
The judge also ordered Griffiths to complete two years’ probation following parole, meaning Griffiths will be under court supervision for about four years. Carpenter said Griffiths is eligible for the jail’s work release program.
Defense lawyer V. Erik Petersen asked the judge to allow Griffiths to report to the jail on Oct. 1 so he could celebrate his son’s Sept. 30 birthday. Assistant District Attorney Matthew Brittenburg opposed the request.
In June, Griffiths pleaded guilty to a felony charge of
aggravated assault with a deadly weapon but remained free on bail while he awaited his sentencing hearing.
By pleading guilty to the charge, Griffiths admitted that he attempted to cause or knowingly or intentionally caused bodily injury to another person with a deadly weapon, specifically a knife.
An investigation began when borough police responded to the South Roland Street area for a report of an assault victim. The investigation determined Griffiths’ brother was involved in an argument and fight with two other men when Griffiths came outside and tried to intervene in the fight.
“The altercation carried into the street. The fight stopped when everyone realized that (the victim) was
bleeding,” Pottstown Detective Brooke Fisher alleged in the arrest affidavit.
The victim was taken to a local hospital where he underwent surgery for a large cut to his lower left back area, according to the criminal complaint.
“Griffiths said that he went outside and remembers being hit or shoved to the ground. He said that he did not remember much after that,” Fisher alleged. “Griffiths kept saying that he just wanted to protect his brother.
“Griffiths stated that he always carries a knife on his person and that he did not mean to hurt anyone,” said Fisher, adding Griffiths had a cut on his right hand, presumably from the knife.
Emergency medical technicians who spoke to Griffiths at the scene said
Griffiths told them, “I didn’t mean to hurt someone. He was hurting my brother,” and expressed that he was afraid he killed someone, according to the criminal complaint.
The victim, of East Coventry, told police that during the fight everyone “was
getting pushed around” when he felt what he believed were punches to his side.
“(The victim) started to feel blood dripping and went to get away,” Fisher alleged, adding two other friends helped him get into their vehicle to get him to
the hospital.
Other charges of possessing an instrument of crime, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person were dismissed against Griffiths in exchange for his guilty plea to aggravated assault, the most serious charge.