A 40-year-old man from Clio, MI wanted to go to Spain to meet a woman he met on-line and the man wanted travel money from his aunt.
She didn’t give it to him and an argument broke out, escalating to a physical altercation leaving three people with stab wounds, including a 6-year-old boy who tried to intervene.
The man, identified as Ruben Dane Fletcher, is facing life in prison for the assault.
On Tuesday a five-count felony warrant was issued by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office on Fletcher who was to be arraigned on charges of assault with intent to murder (life sentence), assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder (10 years), home invasion first degree (20 years) and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon (4 years).
The incident occurred just before 12:23 p.m. on Saturday when police were called to the Bellridge Apartment Complex on the North I-94 Service Drive in Van Buren Township, according to a news release from VBT Police Captain Gregory Laurain.
Captain Laurain said the 32-year-old woman told police she was stabbed by her deceased husband’s nephew, and he had called her two weeks earlier asking for money to leave the country for Spain.
She said she didn’t know how Fletcher got into her apartment on Saturday, but when she came out of the bathroom, he began demanding money. When she didn’t comply, Fletcher allegedly grabbed a kitchen knife and threatened the woman and her young son.
A fight ensued, leaving the woman with multiple stab wounds in the back and legs. She was treated and released from St. Joseph Mercy Hospital.
Later it was found Fletcher sustained stab wounds to the back of his head and chest, as well as bite marks to his arms. He underwent surgery for his wounds.
The child had a small laceration on his foot, Laurain said.
Fletcher fled the scene after the fight and VBT Police immediately put out a BOL (be on the lookout) advisory to area law enforcement. A short time later, Fletcher walked into the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department to report he had been stabbed.
Deputies took him into custody and he was admitted to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital for treatment. He was held under police observation at the hospital and was expected to be released from the hospital Tuesday afternoon.