December 6th, 2014 by WCBC Radio

On Friday just before 2 am, a Cumberland City Police officer conducting business checks in the area of Seton Drive came upon a suspicious vehicle.  The officer checked the vehicle, contacted the operator, and the operator appeared to be going to leave the area without further incident. 

The officer continued his check of the area and observed a second suspicious subject walking in the area wearing all black.  The second subject apparently walked to, and entered, the suspicious vehicle that the officer had observed in the area earlier.  Upon completing checks of the area, the officer then observed that the suspicious vehicle was still in the area and now had two subjects inside.  The officer observed the vehicle driving erratically on Braddock Road, and stopped the vehicle on Greene Street.

Once on Greene Street the officer contacted the operator and observed that he appeared to have blood on his hands and on the steering wheel of the vehicle.  The driver was nervous and appeared to be upset.  The officer removed the operator from the vehicle and through further investigation learned that he had been stabbed and cut in several places.  The wounds to the victim were non-life threatening and he refused transport by Cumberland Fire Ambulance.

The driver explained that when the officer observed the vehicle driving erratically, the passenger in the vehicle identified as Brian Ellsworth Johnson, 50 of Cumberland was assaulting him and stabbing him with a knife.  The weapon used in the assault was located within the vehicle and as a result, Johnson was placed under arrest and charged with the following:

Attempted Murder 2^nd Degree – 1 count

Assault 1^st Degree – 1 count

Assault 2^nd Degree – 1 count

Reckless Endangerment – 1 count

Johnson was processed at Cumberland Police Headquarters and taken for a bond hearing at District Court.  Johnson is being held at the Allegany County Detention Center on a $175,000.00 bond. 

C3I assisted in this investigation and are currently investigating additional property crimes in the Seton Drive area which may be related to this matter.  Details will be released upon completion of these additional investigations.