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DELAND, Fla. - A man who had been released from jail just days earlier is back in custody after police say he attacked a child with a knife at a DeLand bus stop. Witnesses intervened, restraining the suspect until officers arrived, authorities said.
Christopher Steven Schwable, 36, of Pierson, was arrested and charged with aggravated child abuse and aggravated assault after the reported knife attack that allegedly occurred on Tuesday morning.
What we know:
Schwable was taken into custody after police say he choked a young boy and threatened others with a knife at the intersection of Clear Lake Dr. and North Spring Garden Ave.
Officers responding to reports of a possible stabbing found Schwable on the ground with a head injury and bleeding. A green-and-black folding knife was recovered from beneath him and secured as evidence, police said.
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Investigators said the child suffered a cut to one finger and had been grabbed by the throat. The boy was too distraught to provide a detailed statement, but his older brother told officers that Schwable approached, produced a knife and grabbed the younger child.
Christopher Steven Schwable, 36, of Pierson, was arrested and charged with aggravated child abuse and aggravated assault.
Two additional witnesses provided sworn statements that corroborated the victims’ accounts, according to police.
What they're saying:
A witness who stopped to intervene told officers he saw Schwable choking the child and feared the boy was in immediate danger.
The witness said that when he returned after making a U-turn, Schwable pulled a folding knife from his sleeve and threatened him. Fearing for his own safety and that of his son, who was with him, the witness said he struck Schwable with a toolbox in self-defense, restrained him on the ground and held him until police arrived.
Police said witness statements, victim accounts and physical evidence were consistent. Officers determined there was probable cause to arrest Schwable based on those findings.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not released the age of the child involved or said whether Schwable had any prior connection to the victims. It is also unclear what led up to the encounter or whether Schwable was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time.
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Police said Schwable was advised of his rights and declined to speak with investigators.
The backstory:
According to jail records, Schwable was arrested last month on charges of indecent exposure and possession of drug paraphernalia. He spent more than three weeks in jail before his release earlier this month on Jan. 13. Those prior charges are not connected to Tuesday’s incident, police said.
Court documents reveal that those charges were dropped by prosecutors last week.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the DeLand Police Department.