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Covering Dallas, Monmouth, Independence, Falls City and surrounding areas since 1868
Jared Spencer
DALLAS -- The Dallas man arrested Sunday on charges in connection with a stabbing incident early Saturday near Dallas faced his alleged victim in a Polk County courtroom Monday.
Jared Spencer, 22, was arraigned Monday afternoon in Polk County Court on charges stemming from the assault, including attempted murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and first-degree burglary. The break-in and assault occurred at a house on Guthrie Road south of Dallas.
The victim of the attack, Jake Michaelson, 19, of Dallas sat in the courtroom with family members as Spencer was arraigned.
Michaelson was able to see Spencer standing on the opposite side of a glass window that separated him from the courtroom. Spencer turned to look at Michaelson and the pair eyed each other for a portion of the brief hearing.
Michaelson, who was released from Salem Hospital on Sunday afternoon, said he felt lucky to be alive following Saturday's incident.
He suffered seven stab wounds, including one to the head and another to the abdomen. He said the wound to his head may cause permanent nerve damage.
Michaelson said he had not been acquainted with Spencer before Saturday's incident. He said two other people were in the residence when someone broke through a siding glass door at the house. Michaelson was in a bedroom at the time of the break-in and went to the living room to confront the burglar. The attack took place in the living room.
Polk County Sheriff's Sgt. Mark Garton said Monday he didn't know the motive of the attack; Michaelson said he believed Spencer had come to the house just to attack him.
"I was pretty much trying to keep him away from my neck," Michaelson said of the struggle.
He said the weapon was a pocket knife. He said residents of the house had told him Spencer had been involved in another confrontation at the residence on Friday evening.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Sally Avera could not confirm the earlier altercation occurred. She said more charges may emerge after the case goes to the grand jury.
Michaelson said another person in the house called 9-1-1. Police responded at about 4:30 a.m., but Spencer was gone and officers were unable to locate him.
Michaelson was taken to the hospital and had been listed in critical condition before his release on Sunday.
Garton said Spencer's family members brought the suspect to the Sheriff's office Sunday, where he was taken into custody. He was booked into the Polk County Jail.
Spencer has several convictions and a pending case in Polk County, according to Polk County Circuit Court records.
In three separate cases in 2006, Spencer was convicted of one count of first-degree burglary, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and two counts of assaulting a public safety officer.
He was arrested on four charges in June 2009, including unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, felony attempting to elude, attempting to elude, and reckless driving. He is scheduled to stand trial on those charges on March 18.
Polk County Circuit Court Judge William Horner set Spencer's bail on the most recent charges at $145,000 on Monday. Spencer is scheduled to appear again on Thursday, Feb. 4, to request a pretrial hearing date on the charges connected to Saturday's assault.
