A man accused of stabbing another man in the back during a dispute at a Centralia residence early Tuesday morning has been charged with first-degree assault in Lewis County Superior Court.
The charge is a class A felony carrying a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The man, Angis T. Leniger, 32, of Chehalis, was arrested at about 1:20 a.m. on Tuesday, April 11, after he flagged officers down in the 900 block of B Street and told them “he had engaged in self-defense,” according to an affidavit of probable cause filed Tuesday afternoon.
According to statements by Leniger and the alleged victim, Leniger had walked up to the door of the residence where the assault occurred and, when the victim opened the door, the victim punched Leniger in the face.
Leniger had reportedly brought a woman, who he identified as an ex-partner, to the residence and was waiting in his vehicle outside for her to exit. He reported hearing yelling, prompting him to get out of his vehicle and approach the door, according to court documents.
The alleged victim told officers he was arguing with the woman inside the residence when he decided to open the door “to see who the woman had received a ride from.” When he opened the door, the alleged victim reported seeing Leniger “standing right there trying to charge into (the) apartment.”
He claimed he punched Leniger because he “felt threatened,” according to the affidavit.
The victim said he was stabbed immediately after the punch, claiming “Leniger had the knife in his hand the whole time, but he did not see it.”
He later said he didn’t notice he had been stabbed until he felt the blood soak into his clothing.
He was still at the scene and “appeared to be bleeding” when officers arrived, according to court documents.
He was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment and the wound itself was found to be “minor” and “non-life-threatening,” according to the Centralia Police Department.
When he was later interviewed at the hospital, the alleged victim said “he saw Leniger advancing on his doorway with a knife in hand” and said he “immediately punched Leniger because he felt threatened,” according to the affidavit.
Leniger, however, allegedly said he took his knife out of his pocket after he was punched in the face and told the other man “to step back,” stabbing him only when the other man “came at him again” according to court documents.
Leniger reportedly confirmed the alleged victim had punched him in the face, telling officers “he was afraid a punch to the face could kill him,” so “he defended himself,” according to the affidavit.
The two parties reportedly engaged in a scuffle for three to four minutes after the initial punch, continuing to fight until the woman broke them up.
Both parties confirmed the alleged victim was unarmed during the entirety of the scuffle.
Leniger was booked into the Lewis County Jail just before 2:20 a.m. on April 11 and was charged with one count of first-degree assault later that day.
Weighing both the severity of the allegations and Leniger’s financial status, a judge set Leniger’s bail at $300,000 on Tuesday.
Leniger’s arraignment hearing is scheduled for Thursday, April 20.
