Knife-throwing incident lands Crocket in jail

A woman will serve 48 hours in jail after she allegedly threw a knife and struck another woman as they were in an altercation at the victim’s door.

The defendant, Natalie Crockett, was ordered to serve 48 hours of an 11-month, 29-day sentence before General Sessions Judge Larry Ross on charges of simple assault and vandalism.

The sentence came after Judge Ross heard testimony concerning an altercation between Crockett and victim Stephanie Vargas at Vargas’ Winding Way residence.

According to Vargas, Crockett came to her door and began yelling at her, prompting her to tell her to leave or she would call police. Vargas said she was trying to close the door when a knife came flying in, striking her in the arm. The knife, which was a pocket-style knife, opened a small gash in her arm before falling to the ground near the door where Crockett allegedly grabbed it and ran away.

Crockett denied the claim, saying she did not even have a knife and that she left when asked to leave.

‘The only thing I’m guilty of is trying to talk to her,’ Crockett testified. The reason for their altercation was never revealed in detail. ‘She must have done it (the injury) to herself.’

While Crockett and Vargas differed on their recollection of events, a witness who was at the Vargas house said she saw a knife fly in the door which cut the victim. However, the witness said she fled the scene, fearing there were warrants against her for unrelated crimes.

‘So you just left your friend there to be stabbed,’ Ross questioned, noting that while the witness appeared to be not much of a friend to Vargas by running off, her testimony did ring of truthfulness since she was honest about why she left the scene.

‘And I’m sure, knowing Ms. Vargas, that she was cussing up a storm,’ Ross noted in announcing his decision, suggesting neither side was telling the whole truth as to the altercation.

In finding Crockett guilty of simple assault, Ross said she should think herself lucky given the fact a knife was used in the assault.

‘There could have been some serious jail time had they pushed the aggravated assault,’ Ross said in giving Crockett 48 hours behind bars.