McCook man to face charges in knife attack

A McCook man was to appear in Red Willow County Court today after he allegedly cut a woman's throat Saturday night.

William J. Bahl, 36, of McCook, will be charged with first-degree assault and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, both felonies that are punishable by 20 years in jail and a $25,000 fine.

Sgt. Kevin Darling was a block away when he got the call to respond to an assault at Fuller's Restaurant on Saturday. He found Yoshi Leibrandt, an employee of Fuller's, leaning over the cash register and holding a cloth to her neck. Blood had pooled on the floor roughly three feet across, he said in his report.

Darling stood behind Leibrandt and applied direct pressure to the wound, talking to her to keep her conscious, he said. At one point Leibrandt said she felt as if she was going pass out.

Paramedics Mark Eiler and Bob Allen arrived shortly afterward and transported her to Community Hospital of McCook.

Witnesses at the scene said Bahl had come into the restaurant, left, and then returned asking for Leibrandt. When she came to the cash register to talk to him, it appeared as if he had slapped her, witnesses said in the report, with Leibrandt asking why he had done that. Witnesses reported that they then saw blood pouring out of her neck.

Bahl was said to have walked out, gotten into his van and drove off. One witness told Darling his address was 200 West 11th.

Darling drove to the residence which was dark and called for other officers for back up. Officers Todd Garcia and Matt Schmidt responded and stayed in front of the house while Darling circle neared the back and sides.

Darling looked into a window that was not covered with curtains trying to locate Bahl, but since it was dark inside, Darling wasn't sure if Bahl was in the residence or if he was going to be violent, according to his report.

Garcia knocked on the front door, and Darling heard movement inside the residence. From the window, he saw Bahl inside the house and could see that he had nothing in his hands as he approached the front door.

Garcia asked him to step outside, which he did. Garcia then asked him if he was all right, but Bahl had "very little response," according to the report.

Darling noted that Bahl was pale and "beads of sweat were rolling down his face." Darling asked if there was trouble down at Fullers, and Bahl replied that he had been down there for a hamburger.

Darling questioned him again if there was trouble down at the restaurant, but Bahl didn't respond. At this point, Bahl was placed under arrest.

Officers searched his vehicle and found an unsheathed knife lying on the floor between the seats. The handle had the name "Bahl" engraved on it and the blade was four inches long with a mild hook at the end. The report said it appeared there was blood at the end of it. Darling's report said the wound Leibrandt sustain appeared deep and wide and that a left external jugular vein was cut. PA Brett Schmidt described the injury as serious and life threatening, but luckily an airway had not been cut, the report said.

Leibrandt has since been released from the hospital.