Man Stabbed In Chest Area At Cuba Basketball Complex

Police arrested a Cherryville man on May 12 after he allegedly stabbed a victim in the chest at the Cuba city pool and basketball complex.

Joseph Yarrow, 34, is being held on a $300,000 bond at the Crawford County Jail. He has been charged with first-degree assault.

Police said the victim had a stab wound to his upper chest area. He was reportedly conscious and breathing, but unable to answer any questions.

According to the probable cause statement, Yarrow claims that the victim and a group of subjects were the aggressors, while three different witnesses told police Yarrow came to the basketball court yelling at them.

One witness recorded the incident on a cell phone.

Yarrow allegedly told police the victim, along with several other subjects, saw him walking through the pool parking lot. They allegedly began yelling at him and walked towards him. Yarrow said he pulled out a knife, told the victim to “back off” and was provoked into a fight. 

“Pride and ego” took over and Yarrow said he returned to fight the stabbing victim. They began fighting and Yarrow said four or five other male subjects began punching and kicking him in the back of the neck. 

According to Yarrow, he pulled his knife out, began swinging it and that he didn’t know he stabbed anyone until after the victim “got off him.”

However, three witnesses submitted statements alleging that Yarrow showed up to the basketball courts “threatening” and “mouthing” the victim. The victim, according to reports, became angry and started a fight with Yarrow. 

Yarrow allegedly threatened the victim, who told him to “bring it.” One witness wrote that Yarrow asked the victim if he wanted to get stabbed, then lunged at him. The witness said they jumped Yarrow, who got up and ran away.

Read more on this story in the May 22 issue of the Independent News.