A 48-year-old Pleasantville man has pleaded guilty to trying to slash his girlfriend with a box cutter during a violent fight on the Atlantic City Boardwalk late last year, admitting in court that a verbal argument spiraled into a physical confrontation that left the woman fighting back with a screwdriver to defend herself.
John A. Coles entered his guilty plea on September 10 under an agreement calling for a recommended sentence, according to WPG Talk Radio 95.5 FM. Coles pleaded guilty to third-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, admitting he tried to slash his girlfriend with a box cutter but was unsuccessful, as reported by New Jersey 101.5.
Atlantic City police responded in the early hours of December 18. According to the prosecutor's office, Coles struck and grabbed his girlfriend, placed a hand over her mouth, and then tried to slash her with the box cutter, the outlet's report notes. His girlfriend grabbed a nearby screwdriver to defend herself during the struggle, per the same account.
Sentencing Set for October
Formal sentencing for Coles is scheduled for October 10, according to the station's report. As part of the negotiated plea, Coles faces up to three years in New Jersey state prison. Under N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(b)(2), attempting to cause bodily injury with a deadly weapon is classified as a third-degree aggravated assault, punishable by three to five years in state prison and fines up to $15,000, per Villani & DeLuca, P.C. The recommended three-year term in Coles' plea deal falls within that three-to-five-year range.
A Pattern Along the Boardwalk
The case adds to a string of recent violent Boardwalk prosecutions moving through Atlantic County's courts. Just days earlier, prosecutors announced that an Atlantic City man admitted headbutting a cop after a separate knife-threat incident. The case is part of broader coverage of violence on the Boardwalk.
Domestic violence remains a persistent concern in the region. Atlantic County Government provides information about domestic violence on its website, according to Atlantic County Government.
Boardwalk Safety Investments
The incident occurred along the tourist corridor. Atlantic City reported an 11.28% drop in overall violent and property crime during the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, city data show.
