Police: Clarion Man Brandishing Knife Threatens to Kill Woman, Newborn

Aly Delp

Aly Delp

Published August 22, 2019 4:31 am
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arrestCLARION BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) — A Clarion man is behind bars after he allegedly threatened a woman and her newborn baby with a knife.

According to court documents, the Clarion Borough Police Department filed the following criminal charges against 30-year-old Corey J. Matthews, of Clarion, on August 16:

– Terroristic Threats With Intent To Terrorize Another, Misdemeanor 1
– Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 2
– Resist Arrest/Other Law Enforcement, Misdemeanor 2
– Harassment — Communicate Lewd, Threatening, Etc. Language, Misdemeanor 3
– Disorderly Conduct-Unreasonable Noise, Misdemeanor 3

The charges stem from a domestic dispute that occurred in the early morning hours of Friday, August 16, at a residence on 5th Avenue in Clarion Borough.

According to a criminal complaint, around 3:37 a.m. on August 16, Officer Maxwell, of the Clarion Borough Police Department, was dispatched to a report of an active domestic incident at the above-described location.

It was reported that the male involved in the incident was armed with a knife.

Officer Maxwell asked dispatch to request assistance from Clarion University Police at the scene, as he was familiar with the tenants and was also aware of an infant residing at the residence, the complaint indicates.

Officer Maxwell arrived at the scene and made contact with the female victim, who was standing on the porch holding her newborn baby with the door to the residence open.

According to the complaint, the victim reported Corey Matthews was in the residence with a knife. She went on to state that Matthews had been drinking and had threatened to “stab her in the temple” and repeatedly stated he was going to kill her and her baby.

Officer Ragley, of the Clarion University Police Department, then arrived at the scene as Officer Maxwell finished speaking to the victim.

The complaint states that Officer Maxwell then drew his service weapon and called out to Matthews, identifying himself as a police officer. He asked Mathews where he was and if he had a knife. Matthews responded that he was in the bedroom. The officers then entered the residence and entered the back bedroom, where they found Matthews on a bed. Matthews was ordered to show his hands, and he complied. Officer Maxwell approached Matthews while Officer Ragley removed the cover that was hiding Matthews’ body.

According to the complaint, when the officers attempted to handcuff Matthews, he became belligerent and resisted. Officer Maxwell got a cuff on one of his hands, but Matthews would not give up the other hand. He refused to roll over and drop the cigarettes that he was holding. Officer Ragley forcefully pulled the cigarettes from his hand, and the officers forcefully rolled him over and handcuffed him.

The complaint notes that after Matthews was handcuffed and sat up, a folding pocket knife was found under the pillow on the bed and was seized for officer safety.

As Matthews was taken to the patrol vehicle, he was yelling and swearing loudly. Officer Maxwell ordered him to stop, but he refused. Matthews also stated that “he was in the CIA and that he already called for backup earlier in the day,” the complaint indicates.

Matthews was then placed in Officer Maxwell’s patrol vehicle. At that time, Officer Maxwell noted a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on Matthew’s breath and observed that his eyes were glassy and bloodshot. It was noted there were open beer cans on the nightstand beside Matthew’s bed, according to the complaint.

After Matthews was secured in the patrol vehicle, Officer Maxwell returned to speak to the victim again. The complaint notes she was shaking, crying, and was visibly frightened.

According to the complaint, the victim reported that Matthews had been drinking and became upset. She noted that she had just been released from the hospital after having her baby and said she was in the bedroom with Matthews and the baby when Matthews threatened to “stab her in the temple with a knife.” She went on to say Matthews was holding the knife in his hand and continually opening it and closing it while making the threats.

The victim stated that Matthews also told her several times that he was going to kill her and her newborn baby if they did not leave. She noted that she was frightened and grabbed her newborn before leaving the bedroom.

Matthews was arraigned in Magisterial District Judge Timothy P. Schill’s office at 6:30 a.m. on August 16.

Unable to post $25,000.00 monetary bail, he was lodged in the Clarion County Jail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on August 27, with Judge Schill presiding.

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