Arnold police accuse woman of stabbing man in the back with steak knife

A 36-year-old Arnold woman is accused of stabbing her boyfriend in the back with a steak knife when he tried to leave her apartment last month.

Arnold police charged Ch-nelle Elaine Ross with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, child endangerment and drug offenses in connection with the Jan. 19 incident.

Ross did not have an attorney listed in court records.

A criminal complaint filed against Ross said Highmark Health police notified Arnold police about 9:15 p.m. that a 57-year-old man was being treated for a stab wound at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison.

The alleged victim told police he had been at Ross’ apartment on Drey Street but left when she started to smoke crack cocaine, the complaint said. He said he returned after she called him, but they began arguing and he tried to leave. That’s when he said she stabbed him in the back with a steak knife, leaving a wound above his left shoulder blade that was 4 inches deep, the complaint said.

The man said he ran to a relative’s house nearby, and someone there took him to the hospital.

Police obtained a warrant to search Ross’ apartment after being unable to contact her there. Police said officers found Ross and her two children in a second-floor bedroom, along with drugs, drug paraphernalia, multiple knives and the alleged victim’s cellphone.

Police said Ross refused to answer questions and said she wanted to have an attorney present during questioning.

She was arraigned Friday and is being held without bail in Westmoreland County Prison. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 3.