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Man charged with assault

FAIRMONT — A Fairmont man is facing a felony charge in Martin County.

Michael Layne Peterson, 33, 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.

According to the complaint:

At 4:47 p.m. Sept. 26, Fairmont police officers were dispatched in regard to an assault in progress. Upon arrival, an officer located a female and two males on the side of the road, with one of the males having his shirt off and blood on his chest. The female, witness one, stated a male from across the street had stabbed the victim on the top of the head with a knife.

The other male, witness two, stated that this had happened on the northeast corner of the street. The officer then returned to his vehicle to grab a wireless microphone in order to take statements before speaking with another male, witness three.

The man told the officer that a male from across the street had come up to the victim, who was standing with the first two witnesses by a black pickup on the west side of the street. The man who came across the street was later identified as Peterson. The witness said Peterson began yelling profanities and other derogatory comments. The witness said Peterson pulled something out of his pocket that he believed was a knife, and proceeded to stab the victim on the top of the head.

Witness two stated that while at a friend’s house, Peterson had showed up with a knife and started yelling profanities. He said they later went to witness one’s house and that is when Peterson showed up again, and began yelling at the victim, saying racist things. The second witness said Peterson started toward him and then stabbed the victim in the head, and witness one described the knife Peterson used as having a yellow handle.

Another Fairmont Police officer located Peterson and recovered a knife from his person. It was shown to witness one and she identified it as the knife Peterson had used. She stated she was sitting outside her home when the victim and witness two showed up. Peterson then showed up, yelling racist comments at them and proceeded to stab the victim.

The victim was taken to the hospital. Doctors indicated the cut was deep enough that it would leave a permanent scar on the victim’s head.

The second officer who arrived at the scene noticed Peterson standing at the scene with blood on his shirt and hands. The officer asked Peterson what happened, and Peterson stated there had been an influx of Hispanics coming into the neighborhood. He stated this was the third or fourth time a confrontation had occurred.

Peterson further stated that when he gets into it with these people, he reverts back to his penitentiary ways and wants to hurt them. Peterson said the victim was standing outside with his hands in the air looking to fight him. Peterson said that when he came out to his yard, the victim took his shirt off saying, “Come on, fight me.”

Peterson said another male came out and attempted to mediate the confrontation. He said the victim started swinging his fists at him, so he defended himself.

Peterson was then placed under arrest.

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