Throat Slasher Gets Guilty Verdict: Union County Prosecutors

UNION COUNTY, NJ — A Winfield Park man was found guilty of slashing the throat of a Rahway man last year, Union County First Assistant Prosecutor James O. Tansey announced Thursday.

Michael G. Johnston, 45, was found guilty last Thursday in connection with slashing a 25-year-old man's throat on Aug. 30, 2021, prosecutors said.

Johnston was charged with one count each of second-degree aggravated assault, third-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, third-degree possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, according to prosecutors.

The jury deliberated for approximately three hours before returning the guilty verdict, prosecutors said.

At approximately 1:45 a.m. on Aug. 30, a Rahway officer was approached by a man who was bleeding from his neck in the area of CVS on the 800 block of Saint George's Avenue, prosecutors said.

The man was stabilized and rushed to University Hospital where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to prosecutors.

Rahway Police then identified Johnston as a suspect after an investigation led by detectives. Soon after, he was arrested in his home in Winfield Park and resided in Union County jail pending the outcome of the trial, prosecutors said.

At trial, prosecutors said it was revealed that the Johnston and the victim were at Butch Kowal's Tavern in Rahway when there was a verbal confrontation outside of the bar.

This verbal dispute ended with Johnston attacking the victim with a knife, causing two cuts to the man's throat and one to his wrist, prosecutors said.

Witnesses, physical evidence and surveillance footage helped pinpoint Johnston as the attacker, according to prosecutors.

Sentencing has been scheduled for Friday, Sept. 30 before Judge Kirsch, at which time Johnston can face a sentence of up to ten years in state prison with an 85 percent period of mandatory parole ineligibility pursuant to the state’s No Early Release Act (NERA).