Man Attacks Teachers, Children With Machete

Feb. 2 -- A man wielding a machete and a baseball bat terrorized a Pennsylvania elementary school today, chasing and injuring three women and six children, police said.

The man, William Michael Stankewicz, 56, of Johnson City, Tenn., was arrested shortly after the attack, officials said. None of the victims' injuries was life-threatening, school officials said.

The three injured women — principal Norina Bentzel and teachers Linda Collier and Stacey Bailey — were taken to the hospital for slash wounds, cuts and minor injuries. The six children were taken by their parents to their physicians or area hospitals.

Police do not know the motive for the 11:30 a.m. attack at North Hopewell-Winterstown Elementary School in York County or whether Stankewicz had any relationship to the victims. But a former wife'schildren had attended the school, prosecutor Thomas Kelley said.

Prosecutors charged Stankewicz with attempted murder, aggravated assault, and bringing a weapon on school property.

The attack, school district officials said, began in the principal's office, which is next to the nurse's office, and then Stankewicz ran into a hallway. Stankewicz did not enter any of the classrooms. Doors at North Hopewell are normally kept locked during classes, school officials said.

Police believe Stankewicz sneaked into the school behind a parent who was walking into the building.

North Hopewell-Winterstown Elementary School, which has approximately 320 students and 50 faculty members, was closed after the attack, and children were sent home. School officials canceled classes scheduled for Monday and plan to meet with parents.

ABC affiliate WHTM-TV in Harrisburg, Pa., contributed to this report.