A stabbing outside the Pink House, 600 Jay, late Friday night put one man in the ICU and will result in another being charged with a felony.
Chief Brandon Standley of the Bellefontine Police Department reported that Justin Baughman, 20, of Bellefontaine, was in the ICU of Grant Medical Center after he was stabbed several times and then dumped near the parking lot of Mary Rutan Hospital about 11:30 pm. Friday.
An employee of Mary Rutan found Baughman and alerted the medical staff. According to sources, Baughman was flown to Grant Medical Center in Columbus with life threatening injuries, underwent emergency surgery, and was reported Saturday to be in the ICU at Grant. As of late Sunday morning, Baughman's current condition was listed as serious.
Police were able to locate the driver of the vehicle which took Baughman to Mary Rutan, who directed officers to the Pink House.
Chief Standley reported that the were at first no witnesses to the incident, but after staying on the scene and continuing to question the patrons, it was learned that Eric Dawson (pictured), 31, of Bellefontaine, and Baughman were involved in an altercation inside the bar. The melee then spilled outside where Baughman was critically injured by several knife wounds. It was then that Baughman was transported to Mary Rutan by private car and the search for Dawson began in earnest.
In addition to Bellefontaine City Police, deputies from the Logan County Sheriff's Office, an Air Search Helicopter from the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Special Response (or SWAT) Team joined in the search.
The search was narrowed to 724 West Williams Avenue, just a couple of blocks from the Pink House. The home is occupied by Yolanda Canter, who is the mother of Dawson's child. Police reported that they saw movement in the house, but could not get a response from the occupants. It was at that time when tear gas was used, and Dawson was apprehended by police trying to escape out of the attic.
Officers noted that Dawson had a cut on his hand and he was transported to Mary Rutan for treatment. After treatment, Dawson was transported to the Logan County Jail, where he remains in custody, charged with felonious assault.
Assistant Logan County Prosecutor Eric Stewart was on the scene with the police throughout most of the search, and Standley said that additional charges are possible.
In 2008, city police charged Dawson with menacing, aggravated menacing, and having weapons under disability.
