Apr 22, 2016 2 min read

A Waynesburg man found guilty of stabbing two men outside a West Waynesburg bar last spring was sentenced to 9 to 23 ½ months in jail followed by an additional 3½ years of probation.

Joseph Bryan Adams, 50, of 115 Buchanan Ave., was found guilty by a Greene County Court jury in January of two felony counts of aggravated assault and two misdemeanor counts of simple assault for the March 20, 2015, stabbing outside Buddy’s Tavern.

He was sentenced Thursday by Greene County President Judge Farley Toothman

State police said Adams had been asked to leave the bar shortly after 10:30 p.m. that night. Outside, he got into a fight with two men, William Wise and Eric Miller. At one point, Adams pulled out a knife with a three-inch blade and stabbed both men multiple times, police said.

Wise suffered three cuts on his left side, a cut on his left arm and another on the right side of his stomach, police said. Miller had a cut on his right arm and on right side of his chest. Both men were treated at the former Southwest Regional Medical Center.

The knife was found in Adams’ pants pocket. Adams told police he was attacked by Wise and Miller outside the bar and was only acting in self-defense when he stabbed them.

Wise and Miller both testified against Adams during the one-day trial Jan. 14. The jury deliberated for about an hour before convicting him of the charges.

As part of the sentence, Toothman also ordered Adams to undergo a drug and alcohol assessment, comply with any recommended treatment and pay a $750 fine.

The judge determined Adams was eligible for work release and granted him a furlough June 3, with the warden’s approval, to attend his son’s high school graduation.