WAUPACA, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin man was charged Monday after a fatal case of road rage.
Tyler Knutson, 23, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide after the Saturday night stabbing in Iola. The victim is a 42-year-old Mukwonago man identified only by his initials.
According to the criminal complaint, Knutson was a passenger in one pickup, while the victim was a passenger in another. Both drivers described aggressive driving by the other, including following too closely, blinking between high and low beams and the lead vehicle braking numerous times.
After the vehicles stopped, Knutson and the victim began pushing each other and both fell down on a snow-covered, slippery driveway. Knutson told officers he didn’t want the victim to hurt his face or break any bones, so he took out his knife, opened the blade and “poked him.” According to the complaint, Knutson told officers that the man did not punch or kick him.
An autopsy found the victim died of a single stab wound to the neck that was about 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) deep, WLUK-TV reported.
Cash bond for Knutson was set at $500,000. He’s due back in court Feb. 11. A public defender has not been assigned yet.
