PORT TOWNSEND — Three men and a woman held in connection with the stabbing of a 26-year-old man during a fight over $20 have pleaded not guilty to first-degree assault in Jefferson County Superior Court.
The four entered pleas during Friday arraignments before Superior Court Judge Craddock Verser.
Pleading not guilty are Ryan Baker, 19, of Poulsbo; Ryan Hausenfluck, 19, of Marysville; Kellee Farfan, 20, of Port Townsend; and James Hansen, 18, of Port Townsend.
A fifth defendant, Camron Jevne, 19, of Port Townsend, was arraigned Oct. 21 and pleaded not guilty.
On Tuesday, Verser set Baker’s bail at $500,000. He has set bail at $100,000 for the other four defendants.
December trial dates
Verser set Superior Court trial dates of Dec. 19-22 and Dec. 27 for all the defendants.
A Nov. 18 hearing and a Dec. 9 pretrial hearing date were also set.
The defendants are being held in Jefferson County jail in connection with the stabbing of Tomas Hezina at about 3 a.m. Oct. 20 in the courtyard of the Hancock Street Apartments in Port Townsend.
First-degree assault carries a life prison term and/or a $50,000 fine.
Shane Seaman, Jefferson County deputy prosecutor, said Hezina was listed in stable condition Friday at Harborview Medical Center hospital in Seattle where he is recovering from surgeries following the knife attack.
Investigators said Hezina was stabbed five times in the neck and upper chest.
“They hope to allow him to remove the respirator to let him breathe on his own,” Seaman said after Verser inquired about Hezina’s condition.
“On a good note, he has shown some improvement.”