Police: Old dispute prompted stabbing

The latest stabbing near the downtown De Vargas skateboard park was born out of a month-old dispute, Santa Fe police say in a criminal complaint.

Officers arrested Mikah Connell, 29, on suspicion of stabbing an acquaintance Tuesday afternoon.

According to the complaint, the victim, a 32-year-old man, was in stable condition and able to give his account to police.

He told officers he had known Connell for several months, the complaint says, but the two had a fight in August after Connell accused the man of pulling a gun on him and damaging his car.

The victim denied Connell’s allegations and said Connell had been “acting crazy” ever since and threatening him whenever they saw each other.

On Tuesday, the victim said, Connell drove by the skatepark, where he was sitting on a bench, and parked his car.

After a heated exchange, Connell started walking toward him with a knife, the victim said, but then backed down when some other men with him told Connell to leave.

Connell returned to his car, the victim told officers, but then one of the other men threw a skateboard at Connell’s car and broke a passenger-side window.

The criminal complaint says Connell told police he thought the victim had thrown the skateboard.

And he was still angry about the August incident, Connell said.

So, according to the complaint, he chased down the victim and stabbed him before the man managed to escape and flag down a driver in a van for help.

Connell was still being held Wednesday at the Santa Fe County jail on a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

This was the second stabbing in the area in less than a week.

Police reported a downtown stabbing early Friday morning at Galisteo and West De Vargas streets and arrested Matthew Culley, 19, on charges of aggravated battery, larceny and tampering with evidence.

Culley also was arrested on suspicion of stabbing a Five & Dime General Store employee in November at the De Vargas skatepark.