A 45-year-old Sarnia man is in custody facing charges after a woman was stabbed at Centennial Park in Sarnia, Ontario, on July 20, 2026.
According to the Sarnia Police Service, William Gallerno was arrested by the Ontario Provincial Police in Strathroy on the evening of July 23 and transferred to Sarnia Police custody. He has been held for a bail hearing on charges of assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm, and failure to comply with a release order.
The incident unfolded around 4:37 p.m. on July 20 when police were called to the park near George Street. A female victim told officers that Gallerno approached her looking distressed, and she offered him the use of a bench. Words were exchanged, and Gallerno became agitated, walked behind her, and stabbed her in the back of the upper arm with an edged weapon before fleeing north toward the train tracks.
The victim’s injuries were not life-threatening. Patrol officers and the Canine Unit searched the area but could not find the suspect that day.
Police thanked residents and local businesses for providing video and photos from the park area, which helped them identify Gallerno by July 23.
Gallerno has a criminal history in Sarnia. In 2017, he was sentenced to six months in jail for assaulting a bar security staff member and a police officer, as well as harassing a former girlfriend. In 2020, he pleaded guilty to eight charges involving repeated contact with a woman he was ordered not to contact.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact Sarnia Police at 519-344-8861 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
