ALTOONA, Pa. (WJAC) — An Altoona woman is facing charges after police say a heated argument on Christmas ended with a man accidentally stabbing himself in the neck.
According to a criminal complaint, Altoona police were dispatched to the 400 block of Cherry Avenue Christmas night after a man was stabbed in the neck.
Police say when officers arrived on scene, they spoke with 36-year-old Holly Gordon, who provided them with several false names.
Gordon initially told police that she didn’t know how the victim was stabbed and that she was downstairs cleaning when she heard the victim yell for help from the attic, the complaint says.
Officers say they found bloody sheets and a shirt in the attic, along with hypodermic needles and a meth pipe.
According to the complaint, officers also found a folding knife with the blade still open.
Police say they interviewed the victim at UPMC Altoona and he told officers that he and Gordon had been arguing when Gordon grabbed a knife.
According to the complaint, as the two were struggling for control of the knife, Gordon let go of the knife causing the man to stab himself in the neck.
The complaint says hospital staff found that the knife had damaged muscle tissue in his neck, but there were no injuries to any veins or arteries noted.
Police say when officers interviewed Gordon again, she told a series of lies claiming she was downstairs when the man tried to commit suicide by stabbing himself in the neck.
After being confronted with other witnesses’ statements, police say Gordon eventually explained that she and the man were fighting over the knife when she cut her finger -- causing her to let go -- which is when the man’s hand flew back and he stabbed his own neck.
Court documents show Gordon faces several misdemeanor charges, including simple assault, false identification to law enforcement officer and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Gordon was able to post bail.
She has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Jan. 15.
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