Formal charges have been filed against a Taylorsville man accused of stabbing a North Vernon man multiple times.
Charges were filed Tuesday against Ross K. Stroud, 30, of 2234 W. Autumn Lane, court records state.
Stroud is accused of aggravated battery when the assault poses a substantial risk of death — a Level 3 felony and battery by means of a deadly weapon — a Level 5 felony, court records state. If convicted on all counts, he could face up to 22 years in prison.
The written charges filed this week identify the stabbing victim as Michael T. Rice, 23, of North Vernon.
Details on the investigation were released Tuesday in a probable cause affidavit filed by Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department Detective Capt. Christopher Roberts. According to Roberts’ narrative, the motive for the Nov. 20 stabbing appears to stem from a domestic dispute.
The house in the Harvest Meadows subdivision where Rice was stabbed belonged to Stroud and his estranged wife, the affidavit states. The couple had separated two weeks ago, and Stroud had been staying elsewhere, the affidavit states.
When Rice was questioned by investigators, he said the husband had known for several months about a relationship Rice was having with the estranged wife. As a result, Rice said that Stroud had threatened him in the past, the affidavit stated.
Rice told investigators he was in bed asleep shortly before 5:30 a.m. on Nov. 20 when Stroud entered the bedroom and stabbed him in the chest, the affidavit states. Rice told investigators that as he attempted to get out of bed, he was stabbed two more times. The second wound was to the upper right side of his back, while the third was underneath Rice’s armpit, the affidavit states.
Rice was taken to the emergency room at Columbus Regional Hospital where medical personnel told investigators that there was a substantial risk of death due to the stab wounds. CRH officials said Rice was admitted to the hospital after the incident, but has since been released.
Two days after his arrest, Stroud paid a $20,000 cash bond and was released from the Bartholomew County Jail, according to jail records.
His case has been assigned to Bartholomew Circuit Court Judge Kelly Benjamin, who has scheduled an initial hearing for Jan. 16 at 3:45 p.m.
