Homeless man faces charges after screwdriver attack

Aug. 14—A homeless man faces charges after attacking another man with a screwdriver Saturday night in Carbondale, police said.

Jonathan Jamal Nesbitt, 33, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, simple assault with a deadly weapon, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and disarming a law enforcement officer.

Officers responded to the area of the train station at 10 Mill St. at 7:07 p.m. for a report of a male stabbed by another male and bit by a dog, according to a criminal complaint filed by Patrolman Bill Wolfe.

Once on scene, Wolfe was approached by a male, identified as Christopher Evans, who was bleeding from an open wound on the right side of his face and a wound on his left arm, according to the compliant.

Evans told police the person who stabbed him was a skinny, shirtless male walking with a brown dog.

Wolfe spotted a man fitting the description in the area near Burger King, the complaint said.

Nesbitt refused to obey commands from police to stop walking and pulled away when Wolfe tried to stop him, according to the complaint.

Wolfe said he was attacked by the dog while attempting to handcuff Nesbitt, who twice tried to grab his gun.

After being apprehended, Nesbitt was transferred back to the scene, where Evans identified him, police said.

Evans told police he went to the train station on a four-wheeler to have a couple of beers and the quad startled the dog, which locked onto his left arm. He said Nesbitt stabbed him in the face after he started punching the dog to free himself.

Evans was transported to Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton to be treated for his injuries, Carbondale Police Chief Brian Bognatz said.

Officers were unable to find the screwdriver, according to the criminal complaint.

Nesbitt remains in Lackawanna County Prison. Bail and preliminary hearing information was unavailable Sunday.

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