By Shereen Siewert
WAUSAU — A 25-year-old Wausau man accused in the near-fatal stabbing of a former romantic partner has been ordered to stand trial on charges of attempted first-degree intentional homicide.
At his arraignment Friday in Marathon County Circuit Court, Aidan Dobbe entered a not guilty plea to the homicide charge. He is jailed on a $750,000 cash bond. On Oct. 27, Dobbe’s attorney tried to persuade a judge to lower the bond, but that request was denied.
According to the criminal complaint, Dobbe was celebrating his 25th birthday on Sept. 24 when he had a verbal altercation with the victim that quickly escalated, according to court documents. Witnesses told police Dobbe and the victim, a 23-year-old man with whom Dobbe had once lived, argued verbally before slapping each other outside a Third Street tavern minutes before the stabbing took place. Dobbe then walked away and into a nearby parking lot, with the victim trailing behind.
When the victim’s friends next saw him, he was bleeding from the chest and collapsed on the ground. Police were called to the scene at about 1 a.m. Sunday, at the corner of Third and Jefferson Streets.
When the victim arrived at a local hospital, he was bleeding internally, court documents show. Without surgery and numerous blood transfusions, the victim would not have survived, police said.
The victim, whose name is not being released, was last reported in critical but stable condition.
As the victim was undergoing surgery, officers were setting up a perimeter around Dobbe’s house on S. 9th Ave. when they saw Dobbe approach, carrying a 6-foot metal pole. Officers pulled their weapons and ordered Dobbe to the ground, and he was taken into custody.
Dobbe is next due in court Jan. 12 for a motions hearing.
