×

Homeless man facing felony count

FAIRMONT — A homeless man is facing felony charges in Martin County.

Kashis Cleon Dilks-Smith, 20, has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in the second degree, which carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison and a $14,000 fine.

He also has been charged with making threats of violence, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

According to the complaint:

On Jan. 30, Fairmont police officers responded to a residence in Fairmont in regard to a complaint of someone threatening another person with a knife.

Upon arrival, officers made contact with a man who said Dilks-Smith was in the back bedroom. Officers made contact with Dilks-Smith, who was found visibly upset and crying with a large, silver handled butcher knife sticking up out of a pocket on his right pant leg.

An officer ordered Dilks-Smith to keep his hands where they could be seen. The officer asked Dilks-Smith why he was upset. He said it began when a relative woke him up by banging pots and pans together. As the officer continued to speak with him, Dilks-Smith continued to be visibly upset while trying to close the zipper on a backpack.

The officer suggested Dilks-Smith place the knife on the ground, but Dilks-Smith grabbed the knife in an aggressive manner and raised it to a stabbing position. Another officer ordered him to drop the knife. Dilks-Smith bent down and attempted to stab the knife into the floor beside him. Dilks-Smith then stood up and was about one step away from the knife as he continued to attempt to zip up the backpack.

Dilks-Smith continued to ignore officers’ attempts to get him to exit the bedroom. Another officer was advised by the first man that there was a firearm in the backpack. The officer then advised the other officers of the firearm.

Dilks-Smith was again asked to leave the bedroom, but continued to become more agitated and displaying signs of aggression. Officers deployed a Taser on Dilks-Smith, who was then placed under arrest and taken to the Martin County Law Enforcement Center.

The backpack was searched and was found to contain numerous pipes, plastic baggies containing meth residue and other drug paraphernalia.

An officer questioned the first man, who said he was allowing Dilks-Smith to stay at his residence because he was homeless. The man said he was at work when he received a call from his fiancee, who said Dilks-Smith was acting weird, sitting on the floor in the bedroom, and sleeping on the bed and not responding to her. The man said he came home and made several attempts to wake Dilks-Smith, but he was not responding.

He said it was at that point he grabbed the pots and pans to wake up Dilks-Smith. He said Dilks-Smith woke up and became angry, yelling at him and pushing him backward. He said he pushed Dilks-Smith back, at which point Dilks-Smith grabbed the knife and pointed it at his face. The man said he then ran from the room.

Dilks-Smith was read his rights and agreed to answer questions. Dilks-Smith said he was asleep on the couch in the living room when the other man woke him up. Dilks-Smith admitted to becoming upset and pulling out a knife.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.65/week.

Subscribe Today