MONROE - A 33-year-old Juda man entered a guilty plea Thursday to one count of aggravated battery and one count of second-degree reckless endangerment while armed with a deadly weapon for allegedly stabbing a man in drunken anger in October.
Joshua J. Powers' guilty plea waives his constitutional rights to bring in witnesses, supply evidence on his behalf and negates the use of a jury. Powers was charged with felony counts of first- and second-degree reckless endangerment, aggravated battery and misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct, using a firearm while intoxicated and resisting an officer stemming from an incident that occurred on Oct. 5 in Monroe.
Judge James Beer initially issued a body-only warrant Thursday because Powers and his attorney had not showed up for the hearing at Green County Circuit Court, but they were waiting in the room just outside court. Powers' attorney Daniel Olsen apologized and said he thought they were supposed to call them in. The warrant was canceled.
Court records indicate Powers stabbed a man who was a guest in Powers' home after a night of drinking in a bar. Powers allegedly got angry, threw a jar of salsa at the victim and then stabbed him five times with a steak knife. The victim attempted to walk home but was later transported to Monroe Clinic Hospital for his non-life-threatening injuries.
Powers also allegedly pointed a shotgun out a bathroom window at a woman and hid the knife used in the stabbing in the upper tank of a toilet.
Two children were at the home at the time of the incident. Their grandmother came to take them after the stabbing.
According to police reports, after his arrest Powers "began rambling" from the backseat of a squad car. He told the officer he had messed up and asked if his children and the victim were OK.
Powers told police he had six to 10 beers and a shot of vodka that night. A breathalyzer test indicated his blood alcohol concentration was at .143 percent.
The stabbing victim lost a lot of blood and left a trail from Powers' home in the 900 block of 10th Street to the front porch of a home in the 1100 block of 10th Street, two blocks away. A 911 caller reported finding the trail of blood the following afternoon.
A pre-sentencing investigation was ordered to be completed by next month before Powers' sentencing hearing on July 17, to determine what kind of prison sentence he could receive. Assistant District Attorney Jeff Kohl said the state will seek a sentence of three years initial confinement with three years of probation. The pre-sentencing investigation will take into account the defendant's demeanor, his prior convictions of misdemeanor battery from 2007, his employment and any potential drug or alcohol problems.
Powers told judge Beer he is now living with his mother in Juda and has employment at a cheese factory in Browntown.
Joshua J. Powers' guilty plea waives his constitutional rights to bring in witnesses, supply evidence on his behalf and negates the use of a jury. Powers was charged with felony counts of first- and second-degree reckless endangerment, aggravated battery and misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct, using a firearm while intoxicated and resisting an officer stemming from an incident that occurred on Oct. 5 in Monroe.
Judge James Beer initially issued a body-only warrant Thursday because Powers and his attorney had not showed up for the hearing at Green County Circuit Court, but they were waiting in the room just outside court. Powers' attorney Daniel Olsen apologized and said he thought they were supposed to call them in. The warrant was canceled.
Court records indicate Powers stabbed a man who was a guest in Powers' home after a night of drinking in a bar. Powers allegedly got angry, threw a jar of salsa at the victim and then stabbed him five times with a steak knife. The victim attempted to walk home but was later transported to Monroe Clinic Hospital for his non-life-threatening injuries.
Powers also allegedly pointed a shotgun out a bathroom window at a woman and hid the knife used in the stabbing in the upper tank of a toilet.
Two children were at the home at the time of the incident. Their grandmother came to take them after the stabbing.
According to police reports, after his arrest Powers "began rambling" from the backseat of a squad car. He told the officer he had messed up and asked if his children and the victim were OK.
Powers told police he had six to 10 beers and a shot of vodka that night. A breathalyzer test indicated his blood alcohol concentration was at .143 percent.
The stabbing victim lost a lot of blood and left a trail from Powers' home in the 900 block of 10th Street to the front porch of a home in the 1100 block of 10th Street, two blocks away. A 911 caller reported finding the trail of blood the following afternoon.
A pre-sentencing investigation was ordered to be completed by next month before Powers' sentencing hearing on July 17, to determine what kind of prison sentence he could receive. Assistant District Attorney Jeff Kohl said the state will seek a sentence of three years initial confinement with three years of probation. The pre-sentencing investigation will take into account the defendant's demeanor, his prior convictions of misdemeanor battery from 2007, his employment and any potential drug or alcohol problems.
Powers told judge Beer he is now living with his mother in Juda and has employment at a cheese factory in Browntown.