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ST. GEORGE — A stabbing investigation has resulted in criminal charges against three people, including the woman who was allegedly assaulted.
On Monday about 12:30 a.m., St. George police responded to a report of a stabbing near 200 East and 300 South. When police went into the apartment where the stabbing allegedly occurred, officers "could clearly smell the odor of burnt marijuana coming from inside the residence. As (police) conducted the sweep, a pump action shotgun was seen in plain view leaning against the wall of the bedroom," according to charging documents.
Doctors at a local hospital told police that Makenna Grace Morlee, 20, "had a puncture wound in her back which appeared to have punctured her lung," the charges state, and that Lesly Jocelyn Mendoza, 20, was with her. However, "all parties were not cooperative and would not answer questions."
Police obtained a search warrant for the apartment and found numerous drugs, most of them "located in locked suitcases," including THC products, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl pills, oxycodone, amphetamine salt pills, adderall, alprazolam, psychedelic mushrooms and psychedelic mushroom chocolate bars and ecstasy.
Both police and charging documents state that the investigation into the stabbing is ongoing and more charges could be filed. Mendoza told police she stabbed Morlee "by accident," the charges state.
"The victim is in serious condition in the hospital and currently undergoing emergency surgery because the of the seriousness of the injury," according to the charging documents.
Morlee, of LaVerkin, and Mendoza, of St. George, were each charged Monday in 5th District Court with drug possession with intent to distribute, nine second-degree felonies and five third-degree felonies; two counts of possession of a firearm by a restricted person, a third-degree felony; unlawful possession of a dangerous weapon, a class A misdemeanor; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor.
William David West, 22, of St. George, was charged with possession of a firearm by a restricted person, a third-degree felony; drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia, both class B misdemeanors.
