According to court documents, Chaze Anthony Cholminski, of Pottsville, was charged on Friday with aggravated assault, receiving stolen property, carrying a firearm without a license, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct, and harassment.
Police said officers were dispatched to 126 North Second Street in St. Clair around 8:09 p.m. Thursday for a report of a fight in progress. According to the affidavit, responding officers found the victim sitting nearby with blood on his shirt and a deep cut on the left side of his rib cage. EMS personnel were called to the scene to provide treatment.
Investigators said a juvenile female at the scene told police that her boyfriend, later identified as Cholminski, had stabbed the victim during a physical altercation and fled the area.
Branch Township Police later located Cholminski on Industrial Park Road. Police said Cholminski immediately stated that he had acted in self-defense. Officers recovered a pocket knife with blood on it from his pocket and transported him to the police station.
While searching Cholminski's backpack, officers discovered a Glock 19 handgun. According to police, the firearm had been reported stolen to the St. Clair Police Department in January and was identified by its serial number.
Police later interviewed the victim at Lehigh Valley Hospital-East in Pottsville. Officers reported that he suffered two puncture wounds to his left rib cage and a laceration to his right ear measuring approximately one inch in length. Due to the severity of his injuries, the victim was flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest for advanced treatment.
According to investigators, the victim told police he had gone to the North Second Street residence after speaking with the juvenile female during a TikTok live video. He said he brought pizza with him and became upset after seeing Cholminski at the home, leading to a verbal argument. The victim told police the two men were "in each other's face" before he pushed Cholminski and a physical fight broke out.
The juvenile female told police she attempted to break up the fight but was pushed aside by the victim. She alleged the victim was on top of Cholminski and trying to choke him when Cholminski stabbed him.
Police said Cholminski later waived his Miranda rights and provided a statement. According to the affidavit, he told investigators that the victim had been attempting to punch him and that he pulled out a Smith & Wesson pocket knife and stabbed the victim twice in the rib cage area before leaving the scene because he was scared. He also told police he had received the Glock handgun from a friend several days earlier and was attempting to return it.
Court records show Cholminski was arraigned before on-call Magisterial District Judge Edward Tarantelli, who set bail at $150,000 cash. Unable to post bail, he was committed to Schuylkill County Prison. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 23 before Magisterial District Judge Edward M. Lewis.