CLERMONT—A Red Hook man is in the Columbia County Jail without bail in connection with the stabbing death of Clermont resident.
Columbia County 911 dispatched Sheriff’s deputies to 120 Pleasant Vale Road to investigate a report of a man outside the residence with stab wounds, Sunday, November 3 at 1:32 a.m. When deputies arrived, they found two men in the front yard. One man was lying on his back and appeared to be injured and the other man was kneeling over him.
Deputies quickly detained the uninjured man and rendered First Aid to the man on the ground. Northern Dutchess Paramedics arrived on the scene and continued with emergency medical aid to the victim, identified as Glenn Unson, 43, of Clermont, who was suffering from knife wounds to his chest and abdominal area.
As lifesaving efforts continued, Mr. Unson went into cardiac arrest and died, according to a press release from Columbia County Sheriff David P. Bartlett.
Sheriff’s Office investigators at the scene determined that Mr. Unson was stabbed at a different location—in the area of State Route 9 at the intersection of Pleasant Vale Road. He was then driven to the 120 Pleasant Vale Road address, where his sister lives. She called 911.
The investigation also revealed that the suspect detained by the Sheriff’s Office, Robert Streib, 36, of Red Hook was the person who allegedly stabbed Mr. Unson, according to the sheriff.
Mr. Unson and the Mr. Streib were together when an altercation occurred and Mr. Unson was stabbed.
The State Police Forensic Investigative Unit, along with uniformed troopers, were called in to assist with the two crime scenes. Columbia County District Attorney Paul Czajka responded to scene and his office is assisting with the investigation. Columbia County Coroner Bernadette Powis also assisted at the scene.
Mr. Streib was charged with second degree murder, a class A-1 felony, at 12:57 p.m. He was arraigned in Clermont Court Sunday afternoon, was jailed without bail and waived a preliminary hearing. He is represented by Michael Howard as a public defender.
“At no time was there a danger to the community and the investigation has shown that this was not a random act since both parties were known to each other,” the sheriff said in the release.
In a follow-up interview Wednesday morning, District Attorney Czajka, who arrived on the scene soon after deputies and the sheriff, told The Columbia Paper that an autopsy performed by Dr. Jeffrey Hubbard at Ellis Hospital revealed that Mr. Unson had been stabbed 11 times primarily in the chest and abdomen. A stab wound that violated his chest cavity and caused internal bleeding was the cause of death.
Lab results are still awaited on samples taken from the scene by the State Police Forensics Team and samples taken from the decedent.
The murder weapon was a folding knife, recovered by investigators.
Mr. Czajka said Mr. Unson was stabbed outside of a vehicle at the Pleasant Vale Road /State Route 9 intersection about a half mile from where his body was found. He said the men had known each other for years and what they argued about remains under investigation as well as whether the scrapes that appear on Mr. Streib’s face in his mug shot were sustained in the altercation.
“I commend the Sheriff and Senior Investigator [Kevin] Skype for their prompt response and for seeking assistance from the NYSP FIU,” the DA said in the release.
To contact Diane Valden email dvalden@columbiapaper.com
