Portsmouth Police arrested a woman after a man was severely injured in a stabbing on the 4th of July. But it was not her first contact with police during the holiday weekend.
Around 9:30 pm on July 2, officers responded to the Washington Apartments for a report of a woman breaking glass and threatening to burn down the building. Officers spoke with Amanda Jenkins who claimed she lived in the apartment. Police said she had two shopping carts full of belongings with her.
The door to the apartment was not locked and witnesses said Jenkins sometimes visited the apartments. Officers were unable to determine whether she was allowed inside. They discovered that the broken glass came from a picture frame that fell out of the shopping cart. Officers took photos of the contents of the shopping cart and let Jenkins go.
Just after 12:30 am, a resident of the apartment building contacted officers to complain that Jenkins kept threatening to fight her. The caller didn’t report direct threats and said she would contact apartment management in the morning.
Around 6:30 am on July 4, PPD officers responded to a report of a man stabbed in an alley behind 3rd Street. An ambulance was dispatched to the scene and transported the victim to the hospital. Police notified relatives of the man, who have identified him on Facebook as Buddy Bennett.
Family members have posted photos of him recovering in the hospital.
Police took Amanda Jenkins, 32, into custody. Jenkins has a lengthy criminal record with 13 stays in the Scioto County Jail.
Previous charges include domestic violence, assault, failure to appear, disorderly conduct, criminal trespass, probation violation, possession of drug abuse instruments, theft, and petty theft.
Jenkins appeared in Portsmouth Municipal Court on Wednesday on charges of felonious assault and tampering with evidence. According to court records, Jenkins is homeless.
The court scheduled a preliminary hearing for July 13.