Woman tells court about stabbing attack

BY KEITH EPPS

A woman testified Wednesday that she was stabbed May 11 by a man she’d been dating after she caught him with another woman.

The man, 32-year-old Roland Thomas Smith II, is charged with aggravated malicious wounding.

The charge, which carries a possible life sentence, was sent to a grand jury following Wednesday’s preliminary hearing in Spotsylvania General District Court.

Karin Phomassy, 37, spent five days in Mary Washington Hospital after having her liver and her diaphragm lacerated.

Phomassy said she went to the Econo Lodge at 5321 Jefferson Davis Highway in Spotsylvania to see Smith, whom she’d been dating.

When she got there, Smith was with another woman. Phomassy said she pounded on the window, yelled at Smith, cursed and left.

She chatted briefly with another man before heading to her car. Smith came downstairs and they had words, Phomassy testified.

She said he had pulled a knife and threatened to slash her tires when someone on the balcony yelled at Smith to stop.

When she looked up at the person who was yelling, Phomassy said Smith thrust the knife into her and “twisted it.”

She displayed her scars Wednesday for Judge Ricardo Rigual.

The victim was sitting and holding her stomach when police arrived shortly after the stabbing. Witnesses said that Smith was hanging around as if nothing had happened.

He ran when deputies got there, but didn’t get far. Smith continues to be held in the Rappahannock Regional Jail under no bond.

Keith Epps: 540/374-5404

kepps@freelancestar.com

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