UTICA, N.Y. — Three Utica firefighters intervened in a violent home invasion Friday morning, preventing a woman from being stabbed and restraining the suspect until police arrived.
At approximately 10:15 a.m., Utica Fire Department personnel Captain Justin Valenta, Firefighter Brian Hogan, and Firefighter Matthew Buttenschon were conducting building inspections on Grant Street when they were alerted to a disturbance nearby. A homeowner requested help as two men were fighting in a driveway next door.
As firefighters attempted to separate the individuals, one of the men suddenly sprinted toward the homeowner’s closed front door and dove headfirst through the glass, shattering it and unlawfully entering the residence. Once inside, he attacked the woman, choking her before grabbing a shard of broken glass and attempting to stab her in the face and neck.
The firefighters rushed into the home and intervened as the suspect turned the weapon on them. They were able to pull him off the victim and remove him from the residence. The man remained combative outside until Utica police officers arrived and helped restrain him.
The suspect was transported to Wynn Hospital for a mental health evaluation and will face multiple charges, including first-degree burglary and attempted first-degree assault.
