LANCASTER COUNTY – A Lancaster man charged with attempted criminal homicide and firearms offenses during a fight in Columbia Borough will have his case proceed to county court. 35-year-old Matthew Rowley waived a preliminary hearing. He is accused of stabbing a victim during an altercation in the first block of South Sixth Street in Columbia the evening of Jan. 7. The 27-year-old victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries. An eyewitness told police that Rowley and the victim were physically fighting one another when Rowley brandished a concealed handgun. Rowley is not eligible to possess or conceal a weapon due to a previous conviction. The eyewitness stated Rowley fired a single shot. The weapon jammed after the first shot, after which Rowley discarded the gun and began stabbing the victim with a knife. Police arrived at the scene to find the victim bleeding and Rowley having suffered minor injuries to his face. Rowley remains in Lancaster County Prison without bail.
MATTHEW ROWLEY