PAWLING – An altercation Saturday afternoon in Pawling resulted in a man being stabbed, two men charged with attempted murder, and a live alligator discovered in the basement of the house.
Pawling resident Giuseppe Vassallo, 43, was arrested and charged with felony attempted murder, felony assault with intent to cause serious physical injury with a weapon, and misdemeanor criminal possession of a weapon with intent to use.
John Sorell, 27, also from Pawling, was arrested and charged with felony attempted murder and felony criminal possession of a weapon-loaded firearm.
State troopers responded to Vassallo’s 8-bedroom home at 52 South Quaker Hill Road on March 2 at 4:35 p.m. for a report of a person suffering from a stab wound. As police were responding, they received additional information that a gun was also involved in the altercation.
The police investigation determined that Vassallo, Sorell, and the victim were involved in a dispute over tools. During the altercation, Sorrel fired several shots from a semi-automatic rifle in the direction of several people, missing all of them. Vassallo, according to Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi, allegedly stabbed the 42-year-old victim repeatedly with a knife.
The bleeding victim fled the scene in a car before police arrived but he was located a short time later by state police. He was transported to Danbury Hospital where he remains for treatment of undisclosed injuries.
A New York State Environmental Conservation Officer responded to the scene and removed a live four-foot-long alligator from the residence.
Sorell and Vassallo were arraigned in the Town of Pawling Justice Court and remanded to the Dutchess County Jail without bail.
