POCATELLO — A 45-year-old homeless man was arrested Wednesday after police say he stabbed another man at Caldwell Park near the Bannock County Courthouse.
Vidal Louis Goins has been charged with one felony count of aggravated battery following the incident, which unfolded around 7:50 p.m., according to a police report the Idaho State Journal obtained Wednesday.
A Pocatello police officer was dispatched to Caldwell Park for the report of a man who had been stabbed and upon arrival was advised by dispatch that the victim believed Goins was the person who stabbed him, according to the report.
The victim, who had a large amount of blood on his abdomen, described Goins as wearing a black jersey and a red shirt and said he fled the area after stabbing him, police said.
Officers located Goins minutes later on the 300 block of East Center Street and interviewed him about the incident, according to the report.
Goins told officers that the man he stabbed was verbally threatening him and his girlfriend told Goins that she was going to knock him out so he decided to stab the man, police said. Goins was subsequently arrested without further incident.
As soon as he was placed in handcuffs, Goins told police that he only stabbed the man after he attacked him, punching him in the face several times, the report says. Officers noted in the report that Goins did not have any injuries consistent with his story.
The victim was rushed to Portneuf Medical Center via Pocatello Fire Department ambulance.
Police described the victim's condition as serious but said he is expected to survive.
Officers located the knife Goins used to stab the man inside of a backpack he was carrying, police said.
Goins appeared in front of 6th District Judge Paul Laggis for an arraignment hearing on Thursday, during which his bond was set at $40,000.
He is due back in court on May 7 for a preliminary hearing that will involve local prosecutors attempting to prove there is enough evidence to elevate the case from the magistrate to the district court level for trial.
If convicted of the felony aggravated battery charge, Goins faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.
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