2 Face Domestic Battery ChargesTwo Warsaw men are facing domestic battery charges after one allegedly knocked the other unconscious and the other then stabbed him with a knife.
Darren Allen Diaz, 36, of 519 W. Winona Ave., Apt. E, Warsaw, was arrested and booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 9:21 p.m. Wednesday for domestic battery, failure to appear on a misdemeanor and on a warrant for an Indiana agency. His preliminary bond for the battery was set at $10,250, and his bond for the failure to appear was $400.
Court documents filed July 6 list the charges against Diaz as domestic battery while armed with a deadly weapon, a level 5 felony; and domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor. It lists his address then as 223 W. Jefferson St., #14, Warsaw.
Homer Joe Knight, 25, of 513 W. Winona Ave., Apt. E, Warsaw, faces charges of domestic battery resulting in serious bodily injury, a level 5 felony, and domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor. As of this morning, he was not arrested but his bond has preliminarily been set for $10,250, according to court documents.
On June 24, Warsaw Police officer Daniel Clemens responded to a fight in progress. Upon arrival, he talked with Diaz who had blood around his mouth and said he had been fighting with Knight. While Clemens and Diaz were talking, Knight approached and said he had been stabbed and was bleeding from his arm and chest.
Diaz said as a result of him smacking Knight on the butt, Knight hit him and kicked him in the head several times, knocking him unconscious. When he regained consciousness, he attempted to call 911 but Knight would not allow him to use the phone. Diaz said he then grabbed a kitchen knife and started stabbing at Knight.
A woman gave officers permission to search the apartment. In the residence was a plate used for rolling marijuana cigarettes, some marijuana in the toilet, a metal grinder with marijuana in it and several packages of rolling papers. In the kitchen trash can was a yellow water bong that contained marijuana residue. On the floor were two kitchen knives with blood stains.
Knight told WPD detective Jeff Ticknor that Diaz smacked him on the butt, which was sore from playing softball. He said he then hit Diaz on the head and the two started wrestling. Diaz got mad and grabbed two knives and said, “I stabbed you, I stabbed you,” according to court documents. Knight was able to take the knives away from Diaz.
Knight had a knife cut on his arm that required several stitches and he had a shallow wound on his back.
Ticknor spoke with Diaz who said when he smacked Knight on the butt, Knight kicked him and hit him on the neck and face, knocking him unconscious. When he regained consciousness, he attempted to call police but Knight took his phone from him. He said he tried to leave the apartment several times but Knight stopped him each time. In an effort to keep Knight away from him, Diaz picked up two knives but Knight charged at him and the two started wrestling.
Diaz suffered a concussion, a cut, broken nose, a fractured jaw and bruises on his back, head and hands.
A witness told Ticknor he saw Knight and Diaz wrestling outside on the ground. When they came back into the house, Diaz had blood coming from his nose. When the witness heard Diaz mention something about a knife, the witness immediately left the apartment.
Arrest warrants were issued for Diaz and Knight July 6. A no-contact order was entered on July 9.
