Man charged in knife fight had been arrested in prior stabbing

Roman Czepyha

ROCHESTER - The Milton man arrested in a stabbing at his Milton home on Thursday saw his charge modified to second degree assault at his video arraignment at Rochester District Court on Friday.

Roman Czepyha, 28, of 559 White Mountain Hwy., will continue to be held on $2,500 cash bail pending a probable cause hearing later this month.

Milton Police Chief Richard Krauss said on Friday that officers have been called to the address several times in the recent past for issues of domestic incidents, fights and arrest warrants.

Czepyha was charged with first-degree assault two years ago in a stabbing incident, but the charge was dismissed at a probable cause hearing, something extremely rare, according to defense attorney Stuart Dedopoulos of Durham.

On Thursday two people were injured trying to break up a knife fight at the downtown Milton residence as Czepyha allegedly got into an altercation with housemate Matthew Shattuck, 19, who was charged with being a minor in possession of alcohol and disorderly conduct.

According to Milton Police, as the pair were arguing Czepyha grabbed a large kitchen knife, whereupon Shattuck drew a small folding knife from his pocket.

As others in the house tried to stop the fracas, one man who stepped in received a large cut on his forearm police described as nonlife-threatening, and a female received bumps and bruises to her chest, head and wrist, said Krauss. Both victims were transported to and later released from Frisbie Memorial Hospital.

The Milton Police Department’s investigation into Thursday’s altercation will continue, Krauss said.

Also responding to the scene Thursday night were officers from Middleton and Wakefield Police departments, New Hampshire State Police Troops E and A, and the Strafford County Sheriff’s Department.