Man accused of aggravated battery by stabbing

A 26-year-old is facing a charge of aggravated battery after being accused of stabbing a man on Tuesday in Rice Lake.

Jonathan T. Christianson, of Rice Lake, was charged on Thursday with three felonies — aggravated battery-intend great bodily harm, first-degree recklessly endangering safety and intimidation of a victim — plus misdemeanor criminal damage to property in Barron County Circuit Court.

Christianson was in custody in Barron County Jail on Thursday but initially refused to appear in court. If convicted of aggravated battery, he faces a maximum penalty of a $50,000 fine and 15 years in prison.

According to the criminal complaint, police received a call from a man identified as T.J.S., who said he had been stabbed by “Jon” at the TLP house. Police saw multiple lacerations on T.J.S.’s stomach and bicep, and both of his hands were covered in blood.

T.J.S. told police there is a communal DVD player in the main living room area of the TLP house for everyone to use. As it did not work well, he had been allowing everyone to use his personal DVD player.

T.J.S. said he unplugged his personal DVD player from the living room that morning and connected it to his personal TV in his bedroom. He said Christianson became angry because he thought T.J.S. was stealing the DVD player.

Christianson began to hit the door to T.J.S.’s room with a wooden stake and accused him of stealing the DVD player.

T.J.S. said Christianson pushed the door open and came toward him. T.J.S. pushed the door shut and was able to break the wooden stake. The defendant then pulled out a knife, which was approximately six inches long, and began slashing the knife toward the victim.

T.J.S. held his hands in front of him with his palms facing away trying to block the knife. The defendant cut T.J.S.’s hands and stomach multiple times with the knife. After he was cut, T.J.S. grabbed his cell phone and began to record.

T.J.S.’s bedroom door had a large hole approximately 24 inches in length and two to three inches wide, and blood splatters were found throughout the room.

Christianson was taken into custody at the Rice Lake Probation and Parole office.