MASON CITY – Two Texas men said to be working on the Wal-Mart collapsed roof repair job were charged with felony willful injury after a stabbing incident Monday night at a Mason City hotel.
Juan Carlos Hernandez, age 34, and Selvin Rafael Cerrato-Martinez, age 33, were both charged with willful injury. Police said that construction workers are staying at the Days Inn, and an altercation occurred last night between them.
Police were called to the Days Inn Monday evening at about 7:30 PM to investigate a stabbing that sent a man to the hospital with a 5-inch gash.
According to police, a large group of people from Southern Texas are staying at the Days Inn Hotel, 2301 4th Street SW. They all speak Spanish, and they are all working to repair the roof at the Wal-Mart store in Mason City. This group of people were witnesses to an assault Monday night at about 7:30 PM where one man allegedly stabbed another, causing a 5-inch gash to his body. Police were called to the hotel at that point, and an ambulance arrived as well, which took the man to Mercy Hospital. Police said the man’s injuries were not life-threatening. At least 5 squad cars were on the scene immediately.
After the man was taken away in the ambulance, another was put in cuffs and taken away for questioning. Police had up to 10 witnesses sitting outside the hotel’s main entrance next to the parking lot as they worked with an interpreter to get what information they could. Other officers had flashlights and were inside and underneath a white van and a black pickup truck, both with Texas license plates, searching for a knife. Both vehicles were parked at odd angles in the parking lot and it appeared the occupants exited the vans in a hurry. It was said that the stabbing may have happened on the way back to the hotel from Wal-Mart.
There appeared to be law enforcement on the scene that were not local, as well.
Lt. Logan Wernet told NIT that he was not sure charges would be filed.
“I’m not even sure the victim wants to do anything about this,” he said.
The investigation was still ongoing after 10:00 PM. More information as it becomes available.
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