Student Saves Teacher Stabbed By Colleague

The school bell rang, doors banged open and 1200 students flooded the halls, laughing and chatting about homework assignments as they made their way from third to fourth period classes.

And then time seemed to stand still. Dozens of teens and teachers froze as they say 40-year-old Ronette Ricketts began viciously stabbing fellow English teacher Cynthia Glozier. 3 wounds to the head, 2 puncture wounds to the neck, a dozen more to her back and body.

No one knows where the 8" Phillips head screwdriver came from; the bigger question is why did she do it.

6 foot, 220 pound Poughkeepsie Senior Justin Richardson saw the attack from the end of the hallway. A Championship linebacker, he said all his coach's training just kicked in.

"I saw Ms. Ricketts just hammering her in the side of head. I saw a lot of blood. It was shocking. I just jammed her really hard to get the screwdriver fly out of her hand. If I didn't step in she would have killed her."

Many here say it looked like 40-year-old Ronette Ricketts was intent on killing 54-year-old Cynthia Glozier. The attack was captured on surveillance video, now in police possession.

Det. Sgt. Walt Horton of the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department brought his team of detectives in. They took Ricketts into custody, "She didn't say anything, just requested a lawyer."

Glozier is still in the hospital recovering, awaiting additional CAT scans to assess the deep puncture wounds.

Principal Edgar Glascott has presided over the high school for a year and a half. He put the school on lockdown, brought in counselors and wants to dispel any rumors. "It wasn't two teachers arguing, it was one attacking another," he emphasized.

The teachers had been talking as they navigated the students on class changeover just moments before the attack broke out. According to the principal, Glazier said Ricketts wanted her to step into a classroom. When she said she needed to grade papers in the library, that's when Ricketts just seemingly snapped and started stabbing Glazier.

Principal Edgar Glascott said students, teachers and faculty are all in shock as both teachers are extremely well liked. Ricketts' defense attorney said students packed the courtroom this morning to show their support of her. Sources tell PIX 11 Ricketts feared she was about to be fired.

While Principal Glascott confirmed he had heard of Ricketts' fears, they were unfounded. Her job was intact. Although that has certainly now changed.

Kids at the school were very complimentary towards Ricketts, Senior Kwane Hayle said that Rickets went out of her way to help him attain a scholarship.

PIX 11 did try to get comment from Ricketts family along Manchester St. but when a crew showed up they closed all the blinds and asked them to leave. A neighbor next door and family did talk and said over and over that something had to make her do that.

Ricketts spent the night in jail after being arraigned on first degree attempted assault, second degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon. Family from Manhattan and beyond helped post her $50,000 bail. She is free tonight to return to her 15-year-old son, but faces a grand jury on Tuesday.

MARIO DIAZ CONTRIBUTED TO THIS REPORT.