Police

Assault suspect says victim stabbed himself to fake attack

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A Wading River man charged with felony assault in connection with a Monday morning stabbing in Wading River claimed at his arraignment that the other man involved in the fight stabbed himself to have him arrested.

James Ebbrecht, 28 years-old and dressed in plaid pajama pants and a sweatshirt, told Justice Richard Ehlers that the victim, 32-year-old Patrick Fontaine, also of Wading River, came to his driveway Monday morning to fight and then slashed Mr. Ebbrecht.

“I got stabbed today and he stabbed himself to make it look like I did something,” Mr. Ebbrecht claimed in town court as police officers and Justice Ehlers told him to be quiet.

Mr. Ebbrecht was treated at PBMC after the fight for a cut to his right index finger and released shortly after, police said. Police said Mr. Fontaine had been stabbed in the abdomen and in the lower back. He was taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center and arraigned on the same felony assault charge at his bedside.

Mr. Ebbrecht said he was renting at the home on Old Country Road in Wading River where police said the assaults took place about 10 a.m. He told Justice Ehlers that he had never been arrested before and complained that the handcuffs hurt him.

He was visibly shocked when a district attorney was patched into the arraignment through speakerphone and requested an order of protection for Mr. Ebbrecht’s 10-month-old child.

The prosecutor said the 10-month-old was at the scene when the fight occurred. Mr. Ebbrecht interrupted multiple times.

“I don’t understand what this has to do with my son,” he said. “Someone came after me with a knife today. I don’t understand.”

Mr. Ebbrecht was later released on $500 bail posted by his mother, who arrived later; however, the order of protection was granted. Mr. Ebbrecht’s mother — who did not give her name — was distraught by the charges, and called Mr. Fontaine “the nightmare man.”

Mr. Fontaine had previously been arrested in April for misdemeanor criminal possession of a controlled substance, which he pleaded guilty to in May, according to online court records.

Both men are due back in Riverhead court on Wednesday, Justice Ehlers said.

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