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Austintown woman claimed she stabbed boyfriend in defense
By JUSTIN DENNIS
AUSTINTOWN
A Burkey Road woman is in the Mahoning County jail, accused of stabbing her live-in boyfriend in the back during a domestic dispute Monday evening.
Stephanie M. Fox, 33, faces one second-degree count of felonious assault. She’s accused of sinking a folding pocket knife in her boyfriend’s back, just beside his spine, and leaving a “severe laceration,” according to a township police report.
The man called relatives, who then called police. Police responded to the couple’s Burkey Road home at about 6:30 p.m. and found the man wrapped in a bloody towel, struggling to breathe, but still conscious. He was transported to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital.
The injury caused the man’s left lung to collapse and fill with blood, the report states.
The man told police he was attempting to gather belongings and leave the home when Fox stabbed him. Fox, however, said the couple had an argument that “became physical,” and the man came toward her because she intended to call police. She admitted to stabbing him, but said it was to protect herself.
“I know what I did is wrong, but I did not know what else to do,” Fox told police.
Police noted Fox did not call police for her safety and acted secretive when police arrived.
Fox also claimed her boyfriend refused to call an ambulance for his injury.
Police learned Trumbull County authorities had issued a warrant for Fox for methamphetamine and cocaine abuse, according to the report.
Police noted dried blood on Fox’s hands and blood splatters in the kitchen of the home.
Fox is set for arraignment today in the Mahoning County Area Court in Austintown.
A further update on the man’s condition was unavailable Tuesday afternoon, Austintown detectives said.