Knife victim scared of girlfriend, he says

OREM — A man who initially said he was stabbed by a male roommate confessed recently that he had made up the story because he was scared of the real knife-wielder — his girlfriend, police say.

In January, the woman and her boyfriend went to an Orem clinic so the man could be treated for stab wounds to his back, outer thigh and right index finger, according to a police affidavit filed in 4th District Court.

Both the victim and his girlfriend told doctors and police he had been stabbed by an angry former roommate, who was upset about being kicked out for using drugs and stealing property, according to a police report.

The roommate's anger boiled over, the two said, and he grabbed a knife and began stabbing the victim.

When officers responded to the home, the 19-year-old girlfriend — 5 feet 6 inches tall and 110 pounds — said she had cleaned up all the blood and had thrown away the knife, which she used to protect herself, police said.

But the plot thickened March 5 when the victim's brother came to police and reported it was actually the girlfriend who did the stabbing, according to the affidavit. The brother said he even had a witness who could verify his story.

Police met with the witness and again with the victim, who both confirmed the girlfriend, not the roommate, had committed the assault, the affidavit states.

However, the roommate had been arrested in January at a hotel in Lehi and has since pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, according to court records. He is scheduled for sentencing April 2.

Messages left for his attorney were not immediately returned.

The victim said he made up the story because he was scared of his girlfriend, who had been living with him since October 2008. Both said they considered themselves married, but not legally, according to the affidavit.

The girlfriend was booked into the Utah County Jail for investigation of aggravated assault, obstruction of justice and making a false written statement.

E-mail: sisraelsen@desnews.com