WASHINGTON CITY, Utah, July 9, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — A suspect has been charged with attempted murder after a stabbing at a house party in Washington City.
A probable cause statement from the 5th District Court of Washington County said Darian Rafael Orozco-Salas, 27, from St. George, is facing one charge of the second-degree felony.
On July 4 at approximately 4 a.m., officers were informed that a man had been admitted to St. George Regional Hospital following a violent encounter at a party, the statement said.
“Medical records detailing the male’s admittance showed that he had been stabbed twice in the side puncturing his right lung, fractured his right wrist, and suffered a multitude of contusions to his head, neck, and upper body,” the statement said. “The injuries sustained would leave the male in critical condition.”
The victim told officers he had been at a residence where he was “set upon by several adult males following a disagreement,” the statement said.
Home security footage provided to officers showed that the victim was at first confronted in the backyard of the residence and attacked by at least three other men, the statement added. The men allegedly punched the victim until onlookers broke the fight up. The victim appeared dazed but was able to walk from the residence.
“Shortly thereafter, a second encounter would take place in the street in front of the residence in which approximately six males would continue the assault on the victim,” the statement said. “This encounter would be recorded by onlookers’ phones which was then provided to law enforcement.”
One of the men that allegedly attacked the victim in the yard then stabbed the victim twice, the probable cause statement said.
Numerous witnesses said the man with the knife was possibly Orozco-Salas. He was located at a hotel on Wednesday morning.
“In an interview, Darian admitted to me that he had stabbed the victim twice using a steak knife he had retrieved from the residence following the first altercation,” the statement said.
He told officials he stabbed the victim because “he was very mad at some remarks the victim had made during the party,” the statement said. He told officials he did not intend to kill the victim, only to hurt him.
Orozco-Salas was transported to Washington County Jail, where he is being held without bail.
