Altercation at Riverside house leads to knife attack

A Riverhead man is facing felony assault and weapons charges for stabbing another man multiple times after a confrontation outside the victim’s Riverside home early Sunday, Southampton Town police said.

James Ayers, 38, approached the victim — for reasons not given by police — outside of the Ludlam Avenue house near Phillips Avenue Elementary School just before 1 a.m., according to a police report.

Mr. Ayers then yelled at the man, with the dispute quickly escalating and ending when Ms. Ayers plunged the knife into the victim’s back and lower right shoulder police said.

When police arrived on the scene, they found the victim sitting upright in a chair in his living room, bleeding from a two-inch stab wound and having “severe” trouble breathing, according to a police report. Flanders ambulance volunteers took the victim, who is listed as being in stable condition, to Peconic Bay Medical Center.

Mr. Ayers had fled the scene with the knife, but was caught about three hours later some 500 feet down the road where he was arrested, according to police reports, that also indicated witnesses had ID’s Mr. Ayers.

He was charged with first-degree assault and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

He appeared in Southampton Town Justice Court, where he was arraigned. He was held without bail at Suffolk County jail.