By Shereen Siewert
A 32-year-old Wausau man who admitted he was high on methamphetamine when he stabbed his husband will spend six years in prison, after his sentencing hearing on Friday in Marathon County Circuit Court.
Aaron Hardy-Opper has been jailed on a $1 million bond since February 2020. He was charged Feb. 14, 2020 in Marathon County Circuit Court with attempted first-degree homicide, battery, intimidating a victim and disorderly conduct.
As part of a plea agreement reached Jan. 11, Hardy-Opper was convicted of reduced charges of first-degree recklessly endangering safety and intimidating a victim. Circuit Judge Mike Moran dismissed the battery and disorderly conduct charges and ordered a presentencing investigation for Hardy-Opper.
According to official reports, police on Feb. 3, 2020 were called to a home in the 1000 block of South 9th Avenue in Wausau for a report of a man who had been stabbed multiple times. When police and emergency crews arrived they discovered the victim near the kitchen covered in blood. Police later said the man had been stabbed 11 times with a kitchen knife. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
According to a GoFundMe page, the victim barely survived his injuries.
The victim told police his husband was in a drug-induced rage, when he smashed a TV and mirror before stabbing him in the back, legs, ankle, shoulder and bicep. Hardy-Opper admitted being drunk and high on meth during the attack and said he “just got angry,” according to court documents.
During a sentencing hearing Friday afternoon, Judge Moran ordered Hardy-Opper to spend four years on extended supervision following his eventual release from prison. Hardy-Opper was granted 487 days credit on each count for time served while awaiting trial.
