BENTONVILLE -- A Bella Vista man was sentenced to 18 years in prison for stabbing another man.
Nathan Allen Stines, 22, pleaded guilty Monday to battery in the first degree, a Class A felony punishable with a prison sentence ranging from six to 30 years.
His plea came under an agreement attorney Marianne Hudson reached with Jason Barrett, the special prosecutor appointed to the case.
Stines was arrested May 25.
Bentonville police were called at 8:23 p.m. May 25 to a disturbance involving a stabbing at 2319 S.W. 17th St.
Officers found Steven Harmon, 26, with multiple stab wounds to his chest, abdomen and back. Paramedics took Harmon to Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville.
Witnesses told police Harmon and Stines argued and began to fight, according to court documents.
One witness said Harmon hit Stines, who then fell to the ground and the two men began to fight on the ground.
Witnesses said when Stines stood up they noticed Harmon had been stabbed, according to court documents. Harmon survived the stabbing.
Stines fled the scene before police arrived. He was found hiding in a drainage ditch near the intersection of North Walton Boulevard and Northwest Third Street.
Stines told police Harmon was on top of him hitting him. Stines said he was scared and began to search in his pocket for a pocket knife and stabbed Harmon multiple times.
Circuit Judge Robin Green accepted the plea agreement and Stines' guilty plea.
Stines was sentenced to 18 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction.
Green ordered Stines not to have any contact with Harmon.
Stines was sentenced to 12 years in prison in April 2013 after pleading guilty to various crimes including stealing $90,000 in gold coins and jewelry. Stines admitted stealing the items from a Bentonville home. Police found the coins and jewelry. Stines was paroled in April.
NW News on 01/06/2015