BOLIVAR, N.Y. (WKBW) — Days after two New York State troopers were stabbed in the head, they have been released from the hospital, and new details are emerging about the chaotic encounter.
Trooper James O’Callaghan, the public information officer for State Police Troop A, said bystanders played a key role throughout the incident.
“We have people that just come in and jump right in and assist," he said. "That's huge. That's the community coming together.”
It all began in the Town of Wirt when a resident noticed a woman trying to steal his car.
“A neighbor went out to his own vehicle and saw a stranger trying to open the doors of his vehicle in the driveway,” O’Callaghan said.
He shooed the woman away but then saw her get into another neighbor’s vehicle and drive off.
The man followed that vehicle, O'Callaghan said that is why troopers were able to have such pinpoint accuracy of where everything was going on.
Troopers then began following the stolen truck to a Crosby’s in the Village of Bolivar and multiple trooper vehicles surrounded the truck.
Troopers Jacob Klock, a 9-year veteran, and Michael Rich, an 11-year veteran, approached the woman.
“When they went to go hands on for that arrest, she immediately became combative, resisting arrest, and at that point that's when she pulled a knife out of a pocket, stabbed Trooper Klock, right above the eye area, enough force to penetrate the skull and cause a brain bleed,” O’Callaghan said.
Police said it was a hunting knife.
Then, she stabbed Trooper Rich on the side of his head, causing a skull fracture, O’Callaghan said. At the same time, Rich fired his gun.
“When he was struck in the head, a shot was off soon after that," O'Callaghan said. "She actually grabbed the firearm, which caused it to jam.”
Both troopers are now back home, and the state police are grateful for the public’s help.
“We love that, we love to see that," O'Callaghan said. "But ultimately, this could have been a very different situation had they not been there.”
The suspect, 31-year-old Julia Groff of Bolivar, was charged with two counts of attempted murder in the first degree, aggravated assault on a police officer, menacing an officer, grand larceny and other charges.
She was arraigned and remanded without bail to the Allegany County Jail.
