Stabbing Victim Flees Into Colonial NHP

On Monday, September 17^th at 7:00 a.m., Colonial National Historical Park dispatchers were contacted by the York County Sheriff’s Department reporting a stabbing victim had been found on the West Tour Road of the park’s Yorktown Battlefield unit.  Assistant Chief Ranger Steve Williams was first on the scene and found the victim, Jonathan F. Barron, being attended to by EMS personnel from York County Fire & Life Safety.  Mr. Barron stated that some people had stabbed and beat him at approximately 1:00 a.m. on Crawford Road, a state road that passes through the park.  After the assailants, who the victim originally claimed to not know, left, Mr. Barron fled the scene, wandering into the park, where he was eventually discovered by passing bicyclists. 

Mr. Barron was transported to Riverside Hospital in Newport News.  Further questioning by Williams revealed that Mr. Barron did, in fact, know his assailants.  He stated that at 11:30 p.m. on September 16, he met a  male and female acquaintance in Newport News to clear up a misunderstanding between the parties.  He stated that he was then suddenly forced into a vehicle by the suspects and driven into York County, where another male was picked up as they drove to Crawford Rd.  Upon arrival, they stopped at an underpass beneath the park tour road.  Barron stated the suspects pulled him out of the vehicle and told him that they were going to kill him and began stabbing and kicking him.  Barron said that the female suspect doused him with lighter fluid and tried to ignite him. 

Though he sustained seven stab wounds, multiple abrasions and minor burns as a result of the assault, Barron is expected to fully recover. The investigation is being led by the York County Sheriff’s Department with assistance from the City of Newport News Police Department and rangers from Colonial NHP.