Monday night, Crossville police were dispatched to the intersection of Fourth Street and Main Street for a physical fight in progress with a knife involved. On arrival, police ordered the two men and a woman involved in the fight to the ground. The suspects were held at gunpoint. While being handcuffed, 34-year-old Joshua Matthew Norton of Crossville began to fight with officers, who restrained him and proceeded with the handcuffing. While obtaining information on the other individuals, Norton started to get up, as if to flee on foot; he was quickly taken to the ground, screaming and uncooperative.

After being placed into the patrol car, Norton kicked the door and headbutted the divider multiple times, still screaming.

The woman told police Norton had punched her multiple times in the back of the head and neck and slung her to the ground. As she fought back, she said Norton slammed her head on to the road repeatedly, then pulled out a knife and came at her, trying to stab her as she clung to his knife arm and screamed for help. Just as Norton got his arm free and was about to stab her, the other man stopped him.

The man told police he’d heard a woman screaming for help and ran toward the sound of the screams. He said after he stopped Norton from stabbing the woman, he was forced to fight Norton. He said he was able to wrest the knife away from Norton just as officers arrived.

There was a large field of debris from the fight on the ground, including broken necklaces, wallets, cell phones and batteries. The still-open knife was in the other man’s back pocket, where he’d placed it to keep Norton from accessing it again.

Norton was determined to be the primary aggressor; he was arrested and charged with aggravated domestic assault, aggravated assault and disorderly conduct. A second knife was found among Norton’s belongings.

Norton had been released from prison approximately four months ago, following a conviction for a second-degree stabbing murder.

The woman told police had it not been for the other man, she’s certain Norton would have stabbed her multiple times; she went on to say she fears Norton will kill her.

Norton was later charged at intake with introduction of contraband in a penal institution. You can see that story here.