A south Cortez stabbing last week seriously injured a man and led to three arrests, according to Cortez Police.
Police investigated a violent assault that occurred at a residence in the 400 block of S. Chestnut Street around 9 p.m. Jan. 22.
A resident reported a woman, and two or three men, beat up the victim who had been staying at the home. One man arrested claimed self-defense.
Alcohol was reportedly involved, and the residence is known for transient visitors, said Cortez Police Department Lt. Andy Brock.
The injured man, Robert Salt, sustained serious bodily injury, including to the chest, a stab wound to the abdomen and a broken nose, according to a Physician Injury Report provided to police.
According to the incident report, when police contacted him at Happy Valley Trailer Park, Salt was “covered in blood all over and was holding a towel to the left side of his abdomen. He said he had been stabbed.”
Salt was admitted to the intensive care unit at Southwest Memorial Hospital, and has since been released, according to police officials.
When asked who did it and where, Salt told police he’s not a snitch and that he “knew nothing.”
But police overheard that he had been walking from Chestnut Street, which led them to the scene.
Blood was splattered throughout the house when officers arrived to investigate, according to the report. Blood was on the floor, walls, furniture, lamp shade and on suspects in the house. A bloody pocket knife reportedly used in the stabbing was found on the floor. It was apparent that some blood had been “mopped up” in an attempt to hide it from a residents’ mother living there, witnesses said.
After interviews and an initial investigation, two men and a woman were arrested and charged in connection to the incident.
Frederick Dishface was arrested on suspicion of first-degree assault and tampering with evidence.
Frederick Whiteman was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault, conspiracy to commit first-degree assault, criminal impersonation and false reporting.
A woman identified only as Paulina in the police report was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault, conspiracy to commit first-degree assault and obstruction of a peace officer. She also was arrested on violation of a protection order.
All three suspects were left in custody of Montezuma County Detention Center.
jmimiaga@the-journal.com
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