Warwick Township man charged with stabbing man with kitchen knife waives preliminary hearing

A Warwick Township man charged with stabbing a man with a kitchen knife will have his case proceed to county court after waiving his preliminary hearing earlier this week.

Andrew Jacob Benitez, 18, waived his preliminary hearing before Judge Joseph Stauffer on Aug. 18 on charges of aggravated assault and simple assault.

Benitez is accused of stabbing the victim with a four-inch kitchen knife at his residence in the first block of Springview Drive during the early morning hours of Aug. 10.

Both Benitez and the victim told police they had been in an argument earlier in the evening which turned into a physical fight. As the victim attempted to walk upstairs and away from the situation Benitez stabbed him in the buttocks shortly after 12:30 a.m., they said.

Police arrived to find a large trail of blood inside the residence which led to the victim, who had suffered a one-inch stab wound and required emergency surgery to stop the bleeding.

Benitez is currently free after posting $30,000 bail.

Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Officer Anthony Liguori filed the charges.

Assistant District Attorney Mark Fetterman represented the Commonwealth during the hearing.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.