Warner Robins man pleads guilty after knife attack, police standoff
According to the DA’s office, officers with the Warner Robins Police Department were dispatched around midnight on Jan. 8 to a residence in the 500 block of King Richard Drive in reference to a report of a stabbing.
WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Warner Robins man pleaded guilty to aggravated assault after a January knife incident that led to a standoff with police, according to a Houston County District Attorney’s Office news release.
29-year-old Joshua Lamar Phillips pleaded guilty on April 16 to two counts of aggravated assault.
Phillips was sentenced to a total of 20 years, with the first 10 years to be served in prison and the remaining time on probation.
According to the DA’s office, officers with the Warner Robins Police Department were dispatched around midnight on Jan. 8 to a residence in the 500 block of King Richard Drive in reference to a report of a stabbing.
The news release states that Phillips, along with the mother of his children, had invited the victims to the residence. Phillips became highly intoxicated and argumentative with his guests. At some point, Phillips grabbed a set of box cutters and started swinging them toward the two victims, cutting one of the victims on the abdomen.
Both victims were able to exit the residence and contact 911. Law enforcement and EMS personnel arrived at the residence and provided medical assistance, including transporting the injured party to Atrium Health in Macon.
Because the victims had also mentioned Phillips handling firearms in the past, officers with the Warner Robins Police Department deployed a tactical robot to clear the residence. Following the use of the robot, officers entered the residence and found Phillips hiding in a bedroom closet.
Multiple box cutters were found inside the residence, along with two pellet guns that had the appearance of being real firearms.
At the time of the offense, Phillips was on probation for prior crimes of a domestic nature but had absconded from supervision, leading to a warrant for violation of probation also being taken.
Senior Assistant District Attorney Mike Smith of the Houston Circuit D.A.’s Office released the following statement:
“The Houston County District Attorney’s Office would like to thank the Warner Robins Police Department, as well as the Department of Community Supervision, for their outstanding efforts in bringing this repeat criminal to justice. The Office would especially like to highlight the efforts of Investigator Robert Broussard with the Warner Robins Police Department as the lead investigator in this case. When excessive alcohol abuse or illicit drug use mix with weapons, bad things happen. This Defendant was given numerous chances and opportunities to address his addiction through his prior history with the criminal justice system. Instead of taking advantage of his previous opportunities to address his addiction, he chose to abscond from probation and resort to violence and alcohol once again. All members of our community should be safe from violence. The District Attorney’s Office will always seek to hold violent offenders accountable for their actions.”
District Attorney Eric Edwards released the following statement:
“This case is a clear example of how quickly volatile situations can turn into serious acts of violence. What began as a social gathering ended with two victims fleeing for their safety and one requiring medical treatment after being cut with a weapon. The defendant’s conduct was not an isolated lapse in judgment. He was already on probation for prior offenses of a similar nature and had chosen to abscond from supervision rather than comply with the conditions imposed upon him. That history, combined with the violence in this case, made a significant prison sentence necessary to protect the community. I am grateful for the work of the Warner Robins Police Department and the Department of Community Supervision, as well as the prosecution of this case by Senior Assistant District Attorney Mike Smith. The sentence imposed reflects the seriousness of the offense and our commitment to holding repeat violent offenders accountable.”
