Suspect accused of trying to stab man outside Austintown Pizza Hut

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

A man is accused of trying to stab another Tuesday outside of Pizza Hut.

Gregory J. Mills, 21, of Pembrook Road, pleaded not guilty in Mahoning County Court on Wednesday to one charge of assault. He claimed to be indigent and was appointed an attorney. Mills has a pretrial hearing set for 1 p.m. June 23.

Police responded to Pizza Hut, 1705 S. Raccoon Road, at 7:59 p.m. for a possible stabbing. They found Mills walking northbound on Moorefield Avenue.

The male victim told police he was walking to the pizza store to pick up an order when he was confronted by an unidentified male who approached him and said, “You wanna go?”

He then said the male swung at him and he ran into Pizza Hut to get away and to pick up his order. While inside the business, the suspect remained outside and then fled, a police report said.

An employee observed the incident from a window. He gave the victim a ride home, and upon returning found a 3-inch knife on the ground where the incident happened. He took the knife inside and after a short time, saw the suspect come back and try to locate the knife, the report said.