ANNAPOLIS, MD - Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess announced that Philip L. Koletty, 30, of Pasadena was sentenced on July 10, 2019 for three counts of second degree assault and one count of possession with the intent to distribute narcotics. The Honorable J. Wachs presided and imposed an active 26 year period of incarceration.
"The family that was victimized in this terrifying incident had no connection to Mr. Koletty who broke into their home and violently attacked them," said Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess. "I hope his sentence provides a sense of peace to the family as they continue to recover and move forward from such a senseless and horrific crime. Mr. Koletty's abuse of dangerous drugs was clearly a contributing factor to his violent attack."
On July 11, 2018, the Anne Arundel County Police Department responded to the 8600 block of Gambier Harbour in Riviera Beach for a report of a residential burglary in progress. Upon entering the home, police officers encountered the male homeowner, bleeding heavily from large lacerations to his neck and abdominal area. The female homeowner suffered a serious laceration to her hand. The police officers quickly applied pressure to the wounds to restrict rapid bleeding until Emergency Medical Services arrived. The couple's teenage daughter called 911, and fortunately, was not harmed.
Investigation revealed that at approximately 2 a.m., the victims' family dog alerted them by barking incessantly. As the male victim walked out of his bedroom to investigate, he saw an unknown white male, later identified as Philip L. Koletty, crouched and waiting on the top of the staircase. Koletty was naked and had a butcher knife in his right hand. The victim yelled at Mr. Koletty, who screamed and sprang, slashing the butcher knife into the left side of victim's torso at least twice. A desperate altercation ensued and the female victim attempted to intervene. She grabbed the butcher knife in Mr. Koletty's hand, cutting herself in the process. Mr. Koletty eventually fell back down the stairs and fled the house.
The suspect suffered substantial injuries. Officers were able to follow his blood trail from the home to a nearby 2005 black BMW X5 owned by Koletty. The door had blood on it and police followed a blood trail to a nearby wooded area, located Koletty and placed him under arrest. Subsequently, a search warrant was executed on the BMW and officers found three cell phones, $757 in cash and numerous pills including Oxycodone indicating the sale and distribution of narcotics.
Police officers found Mr. Koletty's clothing in the victims' kitchen with his passport located inside. Police officers learned that Mr. Koletty had taken the butcher knife from the victims' butcher block. The clothing contained various controlled dangerous substances including pills designed to look like Oxycodone, but which actually contained Fentanyl, a far more potent and dangerous drug. It was later learned that at the time of the assaults the suspect was under the influence of alcohol, opiates and cocaine.
Assistant State's Attorney James Tuomey prosecuted the case on behalf of the citizens of Anne Arundel County.