Victim hospitalized, supect arrested following knife assault in St. James

A suspect is behind bars and a victim was hospitalized following an assault with a knife in St. James early Tuesday morning.

St. James police and Watonwan County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call at 3:45 a.m.

Responding officers found a victim with a knife wound to the neck, according to a press release.  The suspect had fled the scene before police arrived, but was ultimately identified as German Alexis Funez Canelas, 29.  Canelas is being held on charges of 2nd-degree assault, domestic assault, and interfering with a 911 call.

The victim was transported to a local hospital by ambulance with believed non-life threatening injuries.

The knife believed to be used in the assault was recovered in a nearby public area.

Police say Watonwan County K-9 Maya – who also aided in a state patrol investigation last month – conducted a search and located additional evidence.