Charges issued in Liberty stabbing

By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.

VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF

LIBERTY — New charges are levied against the two men involved in a stabbing this past weekend at a Liberty High School football scrimmage.

Fitzgerald Toussaint, 45, of West Dennick Avenue, was in Girard Municipal Court on Wednesday afternoon for a preliminary hearing on felonious assault charges he faces after reportedly stabbing Darnell Harris, 45, of Rosewell Street, Akron.

Judge Michael Bernard, however, informed Toussaint he would be facing an additional charge of carrying a weapon onto school grounds. The new charge carries a penalty of up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine if convicted.

Toussaint has been free on $50,000 bond on the felonious assault charge.

Judge Bernard arraigned Toussaint on the additional charge and continued his bond with no additional money. He ultimately waived his right to a preliminary hearing and was bound over to Trumbull County Common Pleas Court on both charges.

Harris appeared in court as a witness, but the victim was soon facing a felony charge of his own.

Shortly after Toussaint was bound over to the county court, Harris was brought into Judge Bernard’s court and charged with having a weapon on school grounds — the same charge brought against Toussaint only minutes earlier.

Harris told the court that he resides in Akron with his two adult children and a grandchild. He told the judge that he had one previous conviction in Akron for domestic violence more than 10 years ago. He assured the judge he would make all court appearances.

Judge Bernard issued a $10,000 personal recognizance bond in the Harris case.

The events leading to Harris and Toussaint appearing in court started around 11 a.m. Saturday at a scrimmage between the Liberty High School and Poland Seminary High School football teams at the Liberty field.

Toussaint, who has a son playing for Liberty, showed up at the game and eventually got into a verbal argument with his ex-girlfriend, who also attended the scrimmage.

As the exchange between the two escalated, the ex-girlfriend’s current boyfriend, Harris, reportedly came over to see what was going on.

Police Chief Richard Tisone said the two men then began to argue, and knives were pulled. The chief said at some point, Toussaint stabbed Harris in the chest.

Police reports say witnesses told officers both men had knives at the event.

jgoodwin@vindy.com