Knife-wielding man assaults woman on Tempe light rail platform: PD

Tempe man arrested following light rail assault: PD

Police say Michael Sangster touched a woman inappropriately and when she confronted him, he reportedly pulled a knife out. When police got there, he reportedly refused to stop and had to be taken to the ground.

PHOENIX - Police officials say a man was arrested at a light rail station in Tempe for allegedly assaulting a woman.

According to court documents, Michael Sangster, 41, was arrested at a light rail station near Washington St. and Priest Dr. on the afternoon of Nov. 9. The victim, identified by investigators as a woman, was on the light rail platform when Sangster approached her and slapped her on the buttocks.

"[The victim] yelled at Michael and told him to get away from her. Michael reacted by producing a small knife approximately 2"-3" in length. He held the knife out at the victim and told her ‘I will kill you’ and ‘I will slice your neck,'" read a portion of the court documents.

Investigators say the victim tried to wrestle the knife away from Sangster as he got closer, and suffered a cut on a finger. Sangster later dropped the knife, and fled from the light rail platform. Officers on scene tried to stop Sangster from fleeing the scene, but he refused verbal orders to stop.

"He continued to walk south towards a bus stop with a number of people, and a steak knife was observed in his hand. Michael was taken to the ground and placed under arrest," read a portion of the court documents.

Police officials say Sangster admitted to slapping the victim's butt during an interview that was conducted after he was read his Miranda rights.

"He acknowledged that he made a mistake nad understood that he should not be touching people," investigators wrote, in the court documents.

Sangster is accused of felony aggravated assault, misdemeanor assault, and misdemeanor trespassing.