Football party leads to fight, stabbing, jail - January 23, 2003

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

2003-02-19

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CLOUDY Temp: 45 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Wednesday, February 19, 2003   SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries   Life   Opinion - Politics   AP News   Weather   Classified   Archives   Site Map   EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone   Wellness Connection   Real Estate   Newspaper in Education   Prime Times   Outdoor Journal   Personals   Movie Times   TV Times   E The People   CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything   E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities   Entertainment   Publications   Recreation   Calendar   ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend January 23, 2003 Football party leads to fight, stabbing, jail By SARAH LEMON Mail Tribune An Eagle Point man was in jail Wednesday on charges that he stabbed another sports spectator while the two were drinking and watching football. Robert Melvin Young, 51, of the first block of Tenino Terrace, was arraigned in Jackson County Circuit Court Tuesday afternoon on charges of second- and fourth-degree assault. If convicted of the first count, Young would spend a minimum of five years and 10 months in prison under Measure 11 sentencing guidelines. Young did not enter a plea to the charges. Young allegedly stabbed Kevin C. Loftis, 20, of the 14000 block of Highway 62, four times with a 3-inch pocket knife on Sunday night. Loftis was treated at Providence Medford Medical Center and released early Monday morning. Loftis and Young had been watching football with several men at a Highway 62 home before they got into an argument in Loftis’ yard around 8:40 p.m., said Capt. Joe Puckett of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department. Young allegedly stabbed Loftis once in each leg and twice in one arm. Two other men — one Hispanic — had been in a fist fight with Young before he stabbed Loftis, Puckett said, because Young allegedly was making racial slurs about some of the football players on television. All the men were drinking, he added. "And (the racial slurs) ended up offending some of the other guests ... and everyone started fighting," Puckett said. Young fled after the incident but was found a short time later, Puckett said. Young was lodged in the Jackson County Jail on the assault charges and violating probation conditions of a conviction for driving under the influence of intoxicants. He remained in jail Wednesday without the option of bail. Second-degree assault is a Class B felony subject to a maximum 10-year prison term and a $200,000 fine under Oregon law. Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version   Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News  | Sports  | Business  | Obituaries  | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives  |  Site Map   E Southern Oregon  | Classified   Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S