OCEAN CITY – After pleading guilty last week, a Pennsylvania man, arrested last June after stabbing another man multiple times at a midtown hotel, was sentenced to 17 years with all but eight years suspended.
Around 5:30 a.m. last June 26, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to a midtown hotel for a reported stabbing incident. Upon arrival, officers located a male victim who had two stab wounds, one to his abdomen and one to his face, which were bleeding profusely, according to police reports. The victim was transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in stable condition, but needed surgery to repair the injuries.
Officers located the suspect, identified as Dalton Rowles, 23, of Sherman’s Dale, Pa., in the hotel parking lot. Rowles had attempted to flee, but was detained by first-arriving officers. According to police reports, Rowles had blood on his clothing and body and also had a cut on his hand and scrapes on his arm.
The investigation revealed the victim and his girlfriend were sharing the motel room with Rowles and his girlfriend. The victim and his girlfriend were reportedly in a verbal argument in the bathroom when Rowles became angry and began banging on the bathroom door. According to police reports, Rowles then took a fixed-blade hunting knife from his bag and began stabbing and kicking the bathroom door in an attempt to enter, according to police reports.
When the victim exited the bathroom, Rowles reportedly stabbed him in the abdomen and face. The two men continued to fight until a third couple, which was outside the hotel room, entered and separated the two men. Rowles reportedly fled the scene, but was detained by first-arriving OCPD officers.
Rowles was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder and first-degree assault. During a subsequent interview, Rowles reportedly told police he and the victim had been arguing off and on for a number of days. Rowles told police when he was banging on the bathroom door in an attempt to get the couple to come out, he had threatened to kill the victim and admitted that he stabbed the victim when he exited the bathroom.
Last Thursday, Rowles pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and was sentenced to 17 years, all but eight of which were suspended. He was also placed on supervised probation for three years upon his release.
