PONCA – Following a November stabbing of a Wakefield man, a northeast Nebraska man has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and other charges.
Javier Zavala, 36, entered his plea in Dixon County District Court to charges of attempted first-degree murder, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person, first-degree assault, kidnapping, first-degree false imprisonment and terroristic threats.
He is accused of stabbing Anacleto Perez-Ramirez, 34, in the back and legs multiple times on November 9 in the garage of a home in the 200 block of Highland Street in Wakefield.
According to court documents, Perez-Ramirez told investigators that Zavala came to the home and accused him of kidnapping his wife. After telling Zavala he did not know his wife, Perez-Ramirez said, Zavala punched him, knocking him to the ground. Before he could get up, Zavala began stabbing him. Zavala stopped stabbing him and asked him to get in his pickup truck or he would continue to stab him.
As they were driving to Wayne, Perez-Ramirez said, Zavala told him he would spare his life and asked him where he could drop him off. Perez-Ramirez asked to be dropped off at a friend’s apartment in Wayne and he was later taken to Providence Medical Center in Wayne for treatment.
Zavala was arrested four days later.