NORWICH – A Sherburne man who claimed he had been stabbed in an altercation at his ex-girlfriend’s apartment has now been charged with third degree assault and second degree criminal trespassing.
Police charged Jacob A. Wilkes, 24, following a four month long criminal investigation into the confrontation. Police said Wilkes refused to leave the residence after being told too and fought with another man in an attempt to enter the apartment by force.
At about 7 a.m. Dec. 20, Wilkes drove himself to the city police station with two stab wounds – one just below his sternum and the other to his upper left rib cage. Wilkes told police he had been attacked at an apartment at 16 Sheldon St. in the City of Norwich less than an hour earlier.
Officers never confirmed that such an attack took place and executed a search warrant a few hours after it was reported at the apartment.
Deputy Police Chief Rodney Marsh said officers did not recover the weapon used in the attack and could not find any evidence to support the claim that Wilkes had been stabbed in the apartment’s stairwell, where Wilkes said the altercation took place.
In a phone interview with The Evening Sun Dec. 23, Wilkes said he was stabbed with an 8-inch kitchen steak knife following a confrontation with another man.
He claimed he was attempting to visit the resident of the home, a woman he admitted he had a lengthy personal relationship with, while on his way to Community Memorial Hospital in Hamilton, where he works in the nursing unit.
Wilkes claimed he was let in by the woman, who unlocked the apartment’s door. He then said he was confronted by an armed male occupant inside and a fight ensued.
However, police said the three occupants at the apartment told a different story, denying Wilkes was stabbed.
Police also refused to comment on whether or not they believe the wounds to be self inflicted.
Marsh reported that witnesses stated Wilkes was the aggressor, saying he arrived uninvited and forced his way into the apartment.
“With results from the crime lab now received, witness statements in total contradiction of the defendant’s version of events and the lack of any evidence to support his claims, we can not confirm that he (Wilkes) sustained the injuries while he was at the Sheldon Street address,” said Marsh.
However, Marsh said police had confirmed information leading to the charges against Wilkes, including his refusal to leave the residence after being told repeatedly and fighting with the occupants.
“It’s very serious and a complex issue. Ultimately we just want the truth of what happened,” said Norwich Police Chief Joseph Angelino.
Angelino said the fact that some of the subjects involved in the case had an intimate background also further complicated officer’s efforts.
“There are always two stories and depending which people you speak with, you can get multiple versions of the same event. Our job is to try and sort out what really took place,” he said.
In Dec. Wilkes said he didn’t even realize he had been stabbed until he had retreated from the fight.
“I got in my jeep and realized I was soaked in blood. It was squirting out of my chest, so I went straight to the police department,” he said.
Wilkes said he was discharged from the Marines Corps in 2002 and was able to identify his alleged attacker to police as a fellow serviceman currently enlisted in the U.S. Army, although he could not recall his full name in the December interview.
Police have not named anyone involved in the incident, except Wilkes.
Wilkes was arraigned before City Court Judge James Downey April 29 and released on his own recognizance. He will appear in city court again on May 14 over the two misdemeanor charges.