MORGANTOWN — A criminal complaint has provided further details on Thursday night’s High Street stabbing incident after Elijah Jon Older, 21, was charged with malicious wounding.
According to the complaint, officers spoke with Parking Authority officials M. Buckrim and C. Mueller, who allegedly witnessed Christian Pacheco and Older actively fighting in the middle of High Street in front of The Bank nightclub, at 344 High St. Once Pacheco and Older disengaged, Buckrim and Mueller stated they saw Pacheco stand up and head south on High Street, while bleeding heavily.
Parking authority officials were holding pressure on Pacheco’s chest and left arm when Morgantown Police Department Officers Moore and Webster arrived on scene.
Upon arrival, Moore observed a “large amount of blood running down Pacheco’s left arm and running into a puddle of blood at his feet.” Webster rendered aid immediately and Moore cut away the victim’s shirt, revealing another large gash approximately five inches in length.
The victim began to feel dizzy and was also unable to provide a suspect description or recall the incident clearly, according to the complaint. According to a press release from the Morgantown Police Department, Pacheco was hospitalized.
Officers located a suspect, identified as Older, who matched the description provided by Mueller and Buckrim, but was not wearing the tan sweatshirt as initially described. Moore advised Older likely removed his sweatshirt and officers began searching for potential evidence along the suspect’s alleged escape path. Webster stated he found the sweatshirt saturated with blood in a garbage can at the intersection of Fayette and High Street. A cell phone and case was also recovered along the sidewalk about 30 feet from the garbage can.
Older was detained and handcuffed at the intersection of University Avenue and Prospect Street. He was also allegedly found with “fresh blood” on his hands, shoes and shirt. According to the complaint, Moore overheard Older telling another officer while being detained to “pull the footage” and asserted that Pacheco had instigated the fight.
Older’s $25,000 bond has been posted.
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