CALIFORNIA, Md. (March 11, 2015)—Maryland State Police have charged a man in connection with a stabbing that occurred during an argument at a St. Mary's County motel yesterday.
The suspect is identified as Michael A. McCoy, Sr., 49, of Lexington Park. After consultation with the St. Mary's County State's Attorney's Office, State Police criminal investigators charged McCoy with first degree assault.
The victim is identified as Dominick J. Pagnani, 26, of Bayonne, N.J. He was transported to the Prince George's Hospital Center where he was treated for lacerations that EMS personnel described as non-life threatening.
Shortly after 3:00 p.m. yesterday, troopers from the Leonardtown Barrack were dispatched to a motel in the 22000-block of Three Notch Rd., California, Md., for a fight in progress. When troopers arrived, the reported fight was over, but the victim was found to have sustained lacerations on an arm and the side of his body.
The victim told troopers that employees at the establishment were making inappropriate comments to his fiance´. The victim said he confronted the employees and a physical altercation ensued with two of them, one of whom was identified as the suspect. Pagnani told troopers that during the fight, the suspect stabbed him with a knife.
The suspect was still on the scene and was taken into custody by troopers without incident. He complained of back pain and was transported to the St. Mary's Hospital for examination. Upon his release from the hospital, he will be taken to the St. Mary's County Detention Center for processing and his initial appearance before a court commissioner.
Troopers recovered a knife at the scene. The knife will be submitted to the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division for analysis.
Investigators from the Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division responded to the scene and the hospitals. They will be conducting the continuing investigation.
Source: Maryland State Police HQ