Knife-Wielding Man Tried to Stab, Run Over Quick Chek Customer, Cops Say

A Pennsylvania man attempted to stab and run over another man during a dispute outside the Quick Chek Monday night, Sparta Police said.

Michael A. Hess, 46, of Stroudsburg, Pa., is being held in lieu of $17,500 bail on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, driving while intoxicated and careless driving, according to a police report. 

Sgt. John-Paul Beebe said officers were called to the store at at about 9 p.m. Monday, when eyewitnesses said a 20-year-old Sparta man parked his vehicle in the lot at the corner of Andover Road and Sparta Avenue.

As the victim exited his car, Hess, who was driving a green 2000 GMC Jimmy towing a utility trailer attached to the SUV, began yelling and cursing at the victim because of the way he had parked his car, Beebe said.

Beebe said as the victim turned away and walked toward the store entrance, Hess left his vehicle and charged the man with a knife, swinging the weapon at him several times. The younger man was able to defend himself by physically blocking the strikes and forcibly moving Hess backward while asking Quick Chek employees to call 911, Beebe said.

Hess then ran to his vehicle and drove over the sidewalk section and nearly hit the man, Beebe said. As Hess fled the parking lot, he nearly flipped the trailer and headed westbound on Route 517 toward Andover Township, Beebe said.

Sparta Police notified surrounding agencies and an Andover Township police officer spotted Hess and his vehicle at the intersection of routes 206 and 517 in Andover Borough. A group of officers conducted a high-risk stop and were able to take Hess into custody without incident, according to the police report.

Police found the knife later identified as the weapon used in the assault in Hess' possession.

Beebe said this is Sparta's second aggravated assault case involving a knife in the past two weeks. On Oct. 9, 23-year-old Scott Waselik was stabbed in the chest by his housemate Kevin Rios after a dispute in their home turned physical. Rios was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and other criminal charges is currently free after posting $50,000 bail. Beebe reported that Waselik has been released from the hospital, but is still recovering from his injuries.