A St. Clair man was arrested after allegedly stabbing a Hillsboro man and a Gray Summit man early this morning, Jan. 30, in De Soto.
Brian H. Jones, 44, of St. Clair has been charged with two counts of first-degree assault, which are class A felonies; two counts of armed criminal action, which are unclassified felonies; and one count of unlawful possession of a weapon, a class A misdemeanor.
According to court documents, the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has requested Jones be charged as a prior and persistent offender. Jones has previous felony convictions of unlawful use of a weapon and stealing, and prior misdemeanor convictions for resisting arrest and second-degree property damage. As a prior and persistent offender, he could be sentenced from 10 to 30 years or life in prison on the class A felonies; from five to 15 years in prison for the unclassified felonies; and up to a year in prison for the class A misdemeanor.
As of this afternoon, Jones was being held without bond at the De Soto Police Department while awaiting transport to the Jefferson County Jail in Hillsboro.
According to the probable-cause statement, early on Jan. 30, a woman contacted her brother, 43, of Hillsboro, because Jones would not leave her residence in the 12000 block of Hwy. 21 and she was scared. When the brother arrived at the residence with a 39-year-old Gray Summit man, they told Jones to leave. Jones allegedly removed a knife from his waistband and stabbed the Hillsboro man in the chest under his left arm and in his leg.
When the Gray Summit man attempted to intervene, Jones allegedly stabbed him in the leg, severing a main artery. Jones then fled from the residence, court documents said.
De Soto Capt. Jeffrey Wynn said a De Soto Police officer was dispatched to the residence at 1:10 a.m. A second officer found Jones with visible blood on him in the parking lot of a business in the 1500 block of Clarke Street.
According to the probable-cause statement, an officer found a set of brass knuckles on Jones while he was being taken into custody. Jones allegedly showed the officer where he dumped the knife, which was still covered in blood.
According to additional court records, Jones admitted to stabbing both victims.
The victims were taken by Valle Ambulance District to a hospital where, as of Friday afternoon, the Hillsboro man was in critical condition, and the Gray Summit man was in stable condition, Wynn said.
De Soto Police were assisted by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.