Court Proceedings for Abbotsford Man Involved in Stabbing Will Continue

Thursday, May 4th, 2023 -- 3:01 PM

(Karen Madden, Marshfield News Herald) The case against an 18-year-old Abbotsford man related to a Jan. 22 stabbing outside a Marathon County tavern took a step forward Tuesday.

According to Karen Madden with the Marshfield News Herald, Leovigildo C. Hernandez is charged with attempted first-degree homicide with use of a dangerous weapon. Marathon County Circuit Judge Suzanne O'Neill found enough evidence Tuesday for the case to continue.

A next appearance had not yet been scheduled Tuesday. According to the criminal complaint, at 2:11 a.m. Jan. 22, a caller reported a stabbing outside of Perla's Place Bar and Grill, 410 S. Front St. in the village of Unity. When officers arrived, they found a man sitting in a chair inside the tavern.

The man had blood on his face and on the left side of his abdomen. The business's owner said she had found the man outside and called 911. The man had two cuts on his abdomen, just below his ribs, and one on his cheek.

Officers saw two men coming out of the restroom, with one man holding and pointing to the other man, Hernandez. An officer put handcuffs on Hernandez and noticed he had blood on his hand and a small cut on his finger, according to the complaint.

The victim told officers he was at the bar in Perla's with his cousin. Hernandez was there when the victim arrived and he talked to Hernandez. The victim said he and Hernandez both are from the same small town in Mexico.

The victim said he didn't remember anything that happened outside of the tavern, but he suspected it was Hernandez who stabbed him, according to the complaint. The man said he had borrowed $600 from Hernandez a year earlier and had paid back all but $50, according to the complaint.

A witness said he was leaving the tavern at closing time and saw the victim talking to Hernandez outside. The witness was going to give the victim a ride home and called for him to hurry up. The man said he got into his car, then saw people running in the parking lot and the victim lying on the ground, according to the complaint.

The witness said he saw Hernandez stand in front of a car and wave for it to stop, but the car drove around Hernandez and left him behind, according to the complaint. If convicted, Hernandez faces a maximum sentence of 60 years in prison. Hernandez remains in jail pending a $250,000 cash bail.

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