Jimmy Wayne Mahan, 38, struck a plea agreement Thursday with the 6th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Formal sentencing is set for 9 a.m. March 31 in District Court.
According to an arrest affidavit, Mahan was involved in an altercation early Nov. 1 in the parking lot of the Durango Downtown Inn, 800 Camino del Rio. Mahan realized police had been called and tried to retreat to a room at the motel. But a woman inside the room would not allow Mahan to enter and put her arms out to block his entry, according to the affidavit.
Mahan slapped away her arms, according to the report. Another man witnessed this and grabbed Mahan’s shoulders to prevent him from entering the room. Mahan then pulled out a black folding knife and stabbed the man, Austin Short, near the abdomen under his left arm, the report says.
Mahan left the scene in a white Toyota Tundra with black rims. Police found the vehicle a short time later with Mahan in the driver’s seat. He had a black folding knife and dried blood on his hands and on his jacket, the affidavit says.
In an interview with police, Mahan claimed he was defending himself from a man who punched him and knocked him to the ground and was preventing him from entering his room.