A Lehighton man has been charged after stabbing another man with a machete Thursday night in Weissport.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Cpl. Richard Mrak of the Pennsylvania State Police Lehighton barracks in the case against David Osenbach:

At 9:54 p.m. members of the state police Lehighton barracks and the Lehighton Police Department responded to the area of 100 Bridge St. in Weissport for the report of a man with stab wounds.

Mrak was informed that the victim had been transported from the scene to Lehigh Valley Cedar Crest Hospital for further treatment. Injuries included a stab wound to his abdomen, back, and lacerations on his hand/arms.

Witnesses said around 9:30 p.m., They heard arguing/yelling coming from the area below the Weissport Bridge, a location well known to be a hangout for drug users, drug trafficking, and vagrancy. Then they heard cries for help.

Witnesses said the victim was accompanied at the location by two men, along with a woman. The woman was interviewed at the scene and said she arrived at the Weissport Bridge around 8:30 p.m. She met with the victim and the two other men and asked if they were hungry and offered to go home and get them food.

The woman left and returned to the area about 30 or 40 minutes later, and as she approached the area in front of the Central Lunch restaurant, she heard yelling and observed one of the men departing from the area of the bridge.

The woman started toward the bridge to investigate, but was stopped by a man who advised her not to go any further and stated “Don’t go back there, (the victim) got stabbed with a machete.”

The man was also interviewed at the scene and confirmed his statement regarding the machete.

On Friday afternoon, Mrak received a phone call from Lehigh Valley Cedar Crest advising him that the victim could be interviewed.

The victim told police that Osenbach, 42, arrived via a Diamondback bicycle with the intent to purchase drugs from him.

The victim said that he had met with Osenbach over 50 times before this incident for the same purpose. There was no preset meeting or past meetings between the two.

The man said“he (Osenbach) buys off me, knows I hang there, and he can get something.”

The victim further explained that Osenbach attempted to purchase drugs from him, however, was told he had to wait as the victim couldn’t purchase the quantity that Osenbach had requested.

According to the victim, Osenbach immediately became angry and pulled out a knife and a machete from his backpack. The knife was described as being about 8 inches in length with an ivory handle.

Police said Osenbach stabbed the man in the abdomen and back with the knife. Following that attack, Osenbach then started swinging his machete striking him multiple times on his hands and arms while the victim attempted to defend himself.

The man said he attempted to defend himself with a red Craftsman handheld 20 volt flashlight, which was recovered from the scene with blood on the handle and obvious signs of damage.

Following the attack, Osenbach fled the scene on his bicycle toward Route 443. The victim said he was unarmed and did not provoke the attack in any way.

Osenbach faces charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, and harassment.

Osenbach is currently incarcerated in the Carbon County Correctional Facility in lieu of $75,000 monetary bail, and scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Sept. 4 before District Judge Eric M. Schrantz of Jim Thorpe.