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Man to stand trial in Canton assault case

3 min read
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Steven Silvanus Yarbrough

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Christopher Holiday

A Washington man accused of slashing the throat and stabbing the arm of a Canton Township man he suspected of sexually assaulting a girl was ordered to stand trial on assault charges filed against him earlier this month by state police.

Steven Silvanus Yarbrough, 25, of 350 Duncan Ave., is accused of assaulting 21-year-old Christopher Holiday inside his home at 110 W. Wylie Ave.

Cpl. Daniel Boyd, who filed the charges, said Yarbrough told him he had gone to Holiday’s home to retrieve items that belonged to a friend of the family.

“Once he got to the apartment, he became angry over the separate incident,” Boyd testified during the preliminary hearing Wednesday before District Judge David Mark. “He then snapped about the sexual assault. He saw the knife and cut him (Holiday).”

Holiday was arrested June 13 by Washington police on charges of rape of a child, indecent assault of a person younger than 13 years old and indecent exposure. Holiday allegedly tried to get a girl to engage in a sex act May 25 in the kitchen of a Washington home. He was placed in Washington County jail on $25,000 bond and faces a June 26 preliminary hearing before District Judge Robert Redlinger.

Holiday said Wednesday he was in his efficiency apartment when he heard a tap on his window. He opened a door and saw Yarbrough.

After he entered the room, Yarbrough locked the door behind him, Holiday said.

“I sat back down in my chair,” Holiday said. “He (Yarbrough) stood by the dresser. He looks on the dresser, sees the knife and starts yelling at me.”

Holiday said he was stabbed in the arm and had his throat cut. Holiday said he could not remember what Yarbrough said to him, other than if he told anyone what happened, “he’d come back and kill me.”

Yarbrough’s attorney, Kristin Fiori, pondered why Holiday’s memory of the events that night were clear, but he could not remember what Yarbrough reportedly said to him.

Under cross-examination by Fiori, Holiday said Yarbrough waited for him to shower and clean off the blood before making him help carry the items he was retrieving to his Duncan home. Holiday said Yarbrough allowed him to go just before the two got to Yarbrough’s home. Holiday walked to a nearby business on Jefferson Avenue, where an employee he knew helped him and called police.

Holiday said he was flown to UPMC-Presbyterian hospital in Pittsburgh, where he received eight stitches in his left arm and 12 in his throat. He was released the following day.

Yarbrough was taken into custody by Washington police and released to state police, who took him to the barracks in North Bethlehem Township, where he was interviewed by Boyd. A knife and box cutter were recovered by state police at Yarbrough’s home early the following day. Yarbrough reportedly told Boyd he carries the box cutter with him for protection.

Yarbrough was ordered to stand trial on charges of aggravated and simple assault, reckless endangerment and harassment. Mark agreed to Fiori’s request and reduced Yarbrough’s bond from $30,000 to $25,000. He remained in Washington County jail Wednesday.

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