Man charged after firing ‘snot rocket’ into crowd, attacking teens with knife, deputies say

ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV/Gray News) – A man is facing multiple charges for stabbing two teenagers after a fight broke out that started with a “snot rocket,” deputies said.

Jonathan Nicholas Hogentoren, 20, is charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, injury to personal property, and resisting police.

According to the report from the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, the fight happened early Monday morning just after 12:30 a.m. It began with a group of people who gathered at a house.

Witnesses told deputies that Hogentoren walked up to the group and fired a “snot rocket” into the crowd. People in the group became angry and began arguing with Hogentoren.

Police said Hogentoren then pulled out a knife and got into a fight with a 16-year-old. The teen suffered multiple stab wounds on his back and under his arm. He was taken to the hospital and treated for his injuries.

A 17-year-old jumped into the fray to try and break it up, and he was also stabbed. Deputies noted two cuts on that teen’s left forearm.

Hogentoren then ran into the woods before deputies arrived, according to witnesses. About an hour later, deputies say Hogentoren approached them, but refused to comply with their commands for him to stop. They say he uttered several obscenities at them before flipping them off with the middle fingers of both hands. Hogentoren then laid down on the ground and refused to obey commands to roll over so that deputies could look for any weapons.

Deputies say they struggled to get Hogentoren into the patrol car, and that he damaged a window in the prisoner cage of the vehicle, broke an interior door handle, then smeared feces on the interior of the cage.

According to the report, Hogentoren continued to refuse to cooperate with deputies when they arrived at the magistrate’s office and detention center. Hogentoren had to be placed in a restraint chair.

Hogentoren’s bond was set at $50,000 and he is scheduled to make a first appearance in court on Tuesday.

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