DC Superior Court Judge Errol Arthur sentenced a defendant who stabbed a delivery driver to 28 months imprisonment on April 24.
Travis Cole, 37, pleaded guilty on Feb. 17 to attempted assault with a dangerous weapon for his involvement in a non-fatal stabbing on the 2700 block of Wisconsin Avenue, NW on Sept. 28, 2025. The victim sustained a stab wound to the left abdomen.
According to court documents, the victim was an Uber Eats driver delivering food to Cole when they engaged in a verbal altercation that turned physical.
Judge Arthur sentenced Cole to two years-plus and three years supervised release.
During the hearing, the prosecution argued for a sentence of 32 months of imprisonment. Prosecutors stated that Cole was a repeat offender, and this was not the first time Cole had stabbed an individual.
Cole’s fiancée spoke during the hearing, stating that they had been together for 13 years and have been through a lot. According to Cole’s fiancée, he is not a violent person, but he does struggle with mental health issues.
The victim was allegedly upset about not receiving a tip, according to Cole’s fiancée, and had struck Cole first before Cole became violent. Later in the hearing, Judge Arthur stated that Cole’s fiancée was in the wrong for blaming Cole’s reaction on the victim.
Adgie O’Bryant, Cole’s attorney, argued for a sentence of 14 months imprisonment, all suspended, in favor of a period of probation. O’Bryant stated that Cole took responsibility for the incident, and was willing to receive mental health and substance abuse treatment.
Judge Arthur stated that the victim was just doing their job when the incident occurred, and Cole’s response to the situation was dangerous. In addition, Judge Arthur stated that Cole’s response to a situation should not be as impulsive even if the person is “dead wrong.”
Cole had a criminal history that involved a previous stabbing case in 2015 and an assault case in 2017, stated Judge Arthur. In both cases, Cole was given a suspended sentence, and proved to Judge Arthur that even with probation and services Cole has not learned from his past.
“Think about your family.” Judge Arthur told Cole before imposing his sentence.
No further dates have been set in this case.
