Former Penn State football player Christopher Bell accepted a plea deal offered by the commonwealth Tuesday, avoiding jail time for an April incident during which police say he threatened a teammate with a knife.

Bell pleaded guilty to one count of terroristic threats -- a first-degree misdemeanor and his most serious charge -- while his charges of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct and harassment were dismissed, Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira said yesterday.

Bell will receive two years probation at the request of the commonwealth, but he could face added community service or fines imposed by Centre County Judge Bradley Lunsford at his Aug. 29 sentencing, Madeira said.

Lunsford also ordered a pre-sentence investigation into Bell's case, Madeira said.

"It's most often to provide some background for the court, within which they frame the sentence that they give," he said.

Through this process, the judge will examine all the facts of the case, including testimony given by the victim, witnesses and the defendant, Madeira added.

In an argument with defensive lineman Devon Still the evening of April 7, Bell pulled an 8-inch cooking knife out of his sleeve while in the Pollock Dining Commons and threatened Still, according to court documents.

The fight began after Still accused Bell of taking his cell phone case, according to court documents.

"Come get the case, and I am going to stab you," Bell said, according to court documents.

As the two players were separated by coaches Michael McQueary, Richard Anderson and Kermit Buggs, Bell threatened Still with other weapons, according to court documents, saying "I have more knives and a gun up here!"

After his April 8 arraignment before Centre County District Judge Daniel Hoffman, Bell was held in lieu of $50,000 cash bail at the Centre County Correctional Facility, according to Collegian archives. He posted bail on April 16.

Bell and fellow player Phil Taylor were suspended from the football team until "their academic situation improves and any off-the-field issues are behind them," according to a February athletic department press release.

Bell was permanently kicked off the Penn State football team April 8, the day after the knife incident, according to a Penn State athletic department press release. The next day, he was placed on an interim suspension from campus, barring him from classes and residence halls "due to the violent nature of the allegations against him," university spokeswoman Lisa Powers said at the time.

Bell has since enrolled at Norfolk State University in his native Virginia and plans to play football there, according to Collegian archives.

Reached by phone, Marty Miller, athletic director at Norfolk State, declined to comment on Bell's situation because he did not have enough information as of last night.

Joe Paterno told The Daily Inquirer this week he tried to prevent Bell's off-the-field problems.

"You could smell it coming," Paterno said Saturday during his College Football Hall of Fame enshrinement. "I blame myself. We tried to get him some counseling."

Though he will receive no jail time, all parties were satisfied with Bell's plea deal, Madeira said.

"I don't have a recollection of [the victim] feeling particularly threatened," he said. "This is the kind of resolution they thought was appropriate as well."

However, even if the victims or witnesses had disagreed, the commonwealth had to prosecute Bell, Madeira said.

"The concern of the commonwealth was, you can't do what you did and not have some kind of a record, pay some kind of a price for it," he said.