Charges filed in St. James stabbing

Charges have been filed against a 23-year-old St. James man accused of stabbing his friend Tuesday night.

Antonio Trevino faces a charge of felony 2nd-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in Watonwan County Court.

The 30-year-old male victim presented himself at the Watonwan County Sheriff’s Office with multiple stab wounds at about 10:30 p.m.  He was treated in the lobby, transported to Mayo Clinic St. James, then transported to Rochester for further medical care.

According to a criminal complaint, the victim moved into a 6th Ave S home about a week ago.  He asked the homeowner if Trevino could stay in the basement bedroom while the victim worked.  The homeowner told police he said no because Trevino is “a problem.”

Court documents say the victim and Trevino were at the home drinking the day of the stabbing and a friend of the homeowner helped the two men move a couch downstairs.  The friend came upstairs about a half hour before the stabbing and told the homeowner Trevino had held a knife to his stomach.  The man said Trevino and the victim were arguing and the victim told Trevino he had to leave. When the homeowner went downstairs he saw Trevino try to hide a knife with a three-inch blade under his shirt.

The homeowner told police he went back upstairs and later heard the victim yelling for help.  The homeowner saw blood and said the victim was trying to hold Trevino away from him.  When the witness intervened, the victim began yelling for help and the police and then ran upstairs.  Trevino chased him, according to the complaint.

The homeowner described Trevino as animated like a robot that seemed to be trying to hurt the victim more.  He told police he believed Trevino would have killed the victim if he hadn’t intervened.  The man said he hid in the garage because he feared being hurt by Trevino.

Police say the victim appeared at the sheriff’s office shirtless with numerous stab wounds on his arm, shoulder area, back, and chin.  His clothing was on the floor soaked with blood, and a large amount of blood was on the dispatch lobby floor.  The complaint says two of his wounds had “frothy-like blood oozing out of them.”  Police say the victim was in visible pain and said he couldn’t breathe and didn’t want to die.  He named Trevino as his attacker.

A St. James police officer interviewed the victim at the hospital.  He described the short-blade knife used in the attack.  The victim said Trevino jumped him from behind after he offered Trevino a ride home.  The policeman counted approximately seven stab wounds on the victim’s body.  The complaint says the most concerning injury was a collapsed lung and the victim was airlifted to Rochester.

Investigators served a search warrant at the home where the stabbing occurred.  Police say the rain was washing away blood on the sidewalk outside the residence.  The complaint says blood was also on the front door of the residence and a trail of blood drops went from the basement to a bedroom on the first floor, to an outside door.

Trevino was taken into custody, but declined to be interviewed by police.  His bloodstained clothing was taken into evidence, according to court documents.  Police say two knives and additional items were taken when investigators executed a search warrant at the location where Trevino was found.

St. James Police Chief Rochelle Hanson told SMN Wednesday morning that the victim was listed in stable condition at that time.

Trevino is in custody at the Watonwan County Jail.