When a knifing really isn't one

Monroe - A Chester resident who initially told police he was attacked by a man asking for money was later charged with falsely reporting an incident. Monroe Police learned of the incident Saturday night when Howard L. Spreckman called just before 7 p.m. to report he was headed to the Arden Hill campus of Orange Regional Medical Center in Goshen with a knife wound to his left hand. Spreckman said a person had just tried to rob him in the area of Millpond Parkway near the bus/taxi stand. While officers responded to the scene, detectives went to Arden Hill to interview Spreckman. The Chester resident said he had parked and was walking toward the downtown area when he was approached by a black man who was in his late 40’s or early 50’s, between 6-foot and 6-foot 3-inches tall, wearing a dark wool hat and who had greyish facial hair. He requested money. Spreckman refused, he said, but the man asked again. When Spreckman refused again, he said the man pulled out a knife and struck him deeply in the hand. Spreckman then ran from the scene and drove home. By this time, however, police began to find inconsistencies with the story. After Spreckman was released from the hospital he was interviewed again at the scene. And this is the story police said he told then: He was not the victim of an attempted robbery. Instead, he had been involved in a road rage incident on Millpond Parkway. He had been driving on Millpond when a vehicle, driven by the black male described as the robber, pulled out from the parking area, cutting him off. Spreckman took evasive action and then pulled off to the side of the road. Spreckman said he then got out of his vehicle and approached the other man, cursing at him. That man got out of his vehicle, and, Spreckman said, soon they were face-to-face. Spreckman said he saw an object - a knife - in the man’s hand, being held down by the man’s leg, but not out in a threatening manner. Then Spreckman said he pushed the man, and in doing so pushed his hand into the knife. Now bleeding, Spreckman left and drove home. At his house, he said, he concocted the story about the attempted robbery so he wouldn’t have to say he was in a road rage incident. He was arrested and charged with third-degree falsely reporting an incident, a misdemeanor. He was released for a Feb. 16 appearance in Monroe Town Court. Police are attempting to locate the man with the knife, using information from witnesses’ information and video footage secured at the scene. He was driving a white vehicle. Police said he is just wanted for questioning. Anyone with information is asked to call Monroe Police at 782-8644.