Trial begins for man charged with stabbing that happened in 1979

WARREN — On April 29, 1979, Ronald Stahlman was a passenger in a pickup truck driven by his friend, Roger Collins, when Collins rear-ended a car driven by 18-year-old Bernard Williamson.

When Collins failed to stop, Williamson drove his Buick up behind the pickup truck, got out and confronted Collins, which led to a fight between the two men on Main Avenue near Fulton Street Southeast.

Williamson, of Karl Avenue in Warren Township, died of nine knife wounds to the chest and stomach.

The question that jurors will have to answer, Chris Becker, an assistant Trumbull County prosecutor said, is what happened next.

Did Stahlman stab Williamson or Collins?

And that won’t be easy, he admitted, as Stahlman’s trial in common pleas court began today.

For the complete story, see Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com