ST. GEORGE — An altercation between two men over texts messages found on a girlfriend’s phone escalated into a stabbing in a parking lot in Washington City over the weekend.
The incident, which left one of the men with multiple lacerations and landed the second man in jail facing aggravated assault and a weapons charge, was reported shortly after midnight on Sunday. Officers were called to what was initially reported as a family fight taking place in the parking lot of the Walmart on Telegraph Street in Washington City.
While en route, officers were advised the suspect, who was reportedly involved in a physical altercation with another man, had exited the parking lot driving a white Chevrolet pickup truck.
Several police units arrived to find a shirtless man bleeding from several stab wounds to his back that were described as “not deep,” the officer noted in the probable cause statement filed with the courts.
In the meantime, the injured man told police that earlier that evening, the suspect, Christopher Michael Helmbrecht, 22, of Leeds, had found several text messages between himself and the suspect’s girlfriend. He explained that the girlfriend was in what he described as an abusive relationship with the suspect and that he was trying to help her.
He also told police that after seeing the messages, Helmbrecht sent him a text and the two decided to meet in the Walmart parking lot.
As soon as the Helmbrecht showed up, “he exited his white truck with the visible intent to fight,” the injured man said.
As Helmbrecht approached, the complainant said that he decided to block the suspect’s legs so he could take him to the ground, which is when the suspect reportedly started stabbing him in the back “with something sharp,” he said. He was unable to determine if it was a knife or some other type of sharp object, police said.
A witness to the assault told officers that after the scuffle, the suspect returned to his truck and allegedly attempted to run over the man and the suspect’s girlfriend with his vehicle – twice, the witness told police.
Washington City Police Chief Jason Williams told St. George News the man’s wounds were significant enough to warrant stitches, but when the ambulance showed up, he said the complainant refused to be transported to the hospital, telling officers he needed to get back to work.
He was treated by emergency medical personnel at the scene and they bandaged the man’s wounds “as best as they could,” and he went on his way.
Meanwhile, officers canvassing the area located the white pickup truck not far from the parking lot where the altercation took place, and multiple police units responded to the business across the street where the Helmbrecht was taken into custody.
During an interview, police say the suspect stated he became upset after finding the texts on his girlfriend’s phone, and then he texted the victim and the men decided to meet in the Walmart parking lot.
Helmbrecht claimed the other party appeared to be “looking to fight” with him, and when asked if he had stabbed the man, the suspect hesitated a few times and then told police he had stabbed the man in the back using a retractable utility knife.
He also said that following the scuffle, he got back in his truck and drove towards the pair “just to scare them,” the officer recounted from the interview.
Officers also noticed light lacerations on the suspect’s hands and bloodstains on his pants. The suspect was arrested and transported to St. George Regional Hospital for evaluation and when medically cleared was transported to Purgatory Correctional Facility and booked into jail facing third-degree felony assault and possession of a deadly weapon with intent to assault, a misdemeanor.
On Monday, the suspect was formally charged with the offenses and is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 4, 2023. He remains in custody without bail at this time.
This report is based on statements from court records, police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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