Coach gets jail time for stabbing

By Linda Cicoira

An assistant Little League coach and father who inspired his son and daughter to get into law enforcement and security work was sentenced Monday in Northampton Circuit Court to 45 active days in jail for unlawful wounding in the stabbing of another man at a July 2024 party.

Sixty-two-year-old Ronald Eric Rowley, of Frederick Douglas Road in Exmore, was given five years in prison for unlawful wounding with all but the approximate month and a half suspended. He will be on supervised probation for three years, with good behavior for 10 years, and was prohibited from contact with the victim.

Rowley was permitted to report to the Eastern Shore Regional Jail on Friday, April 25, and to serve his sentence on weekends. He was initially charged with malicious wounding, which is considered a more serious felony.

A fistfight started after Mason cut ahead of Rowley in a food line at a party. In court files, it was stated that after the fight ended, the victim told an officer “he realized that he was bleeding from his chest.”

Commonwealth’s Attorney Jack Thornton said the defendant “had visible marks on his face” and a cut finger from the incident. It was mentioned at sentencing that Rowley pulled the knife in self-defense because Rowley and another man held him down and hit him.

“The victim is no stranger to the court,” said Thornton. “He was drunk and cut in line.  Rowley had sworn off alcohol, so can’t blame it on that. Sounds like it got out of hand quickly. The victim was cut badly. (He had a) punctured lung. Cannot condone using a weapon.” Thornton gave “credit for his reputation. Numerous officers have told me, he is a good guy” However, “we have laws for a reason.”

The victim was taken to the local hospital and was later transferred to Norfolk for treatment.