A 20-year-old Hilltown man is facing multiple felony charges after he allegedly stabbed a woman and repeatedly threatened to kill her while she was on a video call with a friend.
The friend and his mother told police that Jacob Cantando, of the Blooming Glen section of Hilltown, had a knife in his hand and made stabbing motions toward the victim, according to a probable cause affidavit.
“This is the girl you want?” Cantando allegedly said. “You’re going to watch this (expletive) die tonight.”
The victim suffered a puncture wound to her left thigh and a cut on her left hand, according to police. It is unknown if she sought medical treatment for her injuries.
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Shortly after 3 a.m. on June 28 Hilltown police were called for a report of a possible stabbing in the area of the Miller Tire Company in the 800 block of Blooming Glen Road.
At the scene, police spoke with the 911 caller who told police that her son received a Facetime video call from the victim, who told him someone had a knife to her throat and stabbed her, according to the affidavit.
The victim told her son, “he’s trying to kill me,” authorities said.
Seconds after her son sent a rideshare to pick up the woman at Miller Tire he heard screaming from the area north of Blooming Glen Road, near his home. When police headed in that direction, they saw the victim running toward them screaming for help with Cantando behind her.
“She doesn’t deserve this power,” Cantando allegedly yelled, followed by “I’m going to jail for this.”
Police apprehended Cantando after a brief chase, the affidavit said.
The victim told police that Cantando showed up at a Perkasie home where she was hanging out with male friends and threatened to kill her and her friends if she didn’t leave with him, the affidavit said.
The woman and Cantando went to her house in Sellersville, but when the victim started talking to her sister’s boyfriend, Cantando allegedly put his arm around her throat and held a knife against it and again threatened to kill her if she didn’t go to his house with him, the affidavit said.
The victim agreed to go with Cantando out of fear he would hurt her, but at his house she attempted to leave in the rideshare that was ordered for her at the Miller Tire Company, which is near Cantando’s home, police said.
Again, the victim alleges Cantando threatened to kill her, and the driver, if she tried to leave.
Cantando then started stabbing himself. The victim attempted to run, but was unable to get away because Cantando blocked the door.
At some point, the victim then made the video call to a male friend.
The victim alleged that Cantando attempted to slit her throat, and during the struggle he stabbed her twice. A Swiss army knife was recovered at the scene.
Cantando was arraigned on July 10 before District Judge Regina Armitage on five felony charges including aggravated assault, kidnapping and flight to avoid apprehension, and seven misdemeanors. He is free after posting 10% of his $250,000 bail.
His attorney, Paul Lang, said his client “insists and strongly maintains” his innocence.
“We very much look forward to his trial to clear his name,” Lang said.
Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com
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