Westmoreland Man Arrested After Alleged Screwdriver Assault

WESTMORELAND, N.Y. — A Town of Westmoreland man has been arrested following an investigation into a violent assault at a state-run facility, according to Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol.

The investigation began on September 17, 2025, when Patrol Deputies were called to the facility for a reported assault. Deputies determined that the incident had occurred the evening before, on September 16, when one resident attacked another with a screwdriver.

Due to the felony nature of the case, the Sheriff’s Criminal Investigation Unit took over the investigation. Detectives later determined that 46-year-old Keith Nickerson of Westmoreland allegedly attempted to stab the victim in the head with the screwdriver. The victim managed to move during the attack and avoided a direct blow, sustaining only a minor injury to his temple.

On September 23, 2025, investigators arrested Nickerson and charged him with one count of Assault in the Second Degree, a Class D Felony, and one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor.

Nickerson was processed at the Sheriff’s Office before being arraigned in CAP Court, where he was held on $2,000 cash bail. An Order of Protection was also requested on behalf of the victim.