Poplar Bluff man charged with utility knife stabbing

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff man was charged Monday afternoon with seriously injuring another man by slicing a reported 16-inch gash in his stomach with a utility knife.

The Daily American Republic newspaper reported Robert Wesley Routt, 52, of the 2100 block of North Westwood Boulevard was charged with the Class A felony of first-degree assault and the unclassified felony of armed criminal action by Butler County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Bill Gresham.

Associate Circuit Judge John Bloodworth issued a warrant for Routt's arrest and set his bond at $100,000 cash or surety, with it being OK for 10 percent to be deposited with the court.

Routt is accused of injuring Roy Lacey at about 6:45 p.m. Sunday at Lacey's residence in the 2300 block of Wood Street.

Upon arrival at Lacey's home, Poplar Bluff Police Patrolman Shonna Parrent found Lacey, who was sitting in his wheelchair on the front porch, to be "severely bleeding from a large laceration to the stomach area," Patrolman Daniel Mustain said in his probable cause statement.

Mustain described the laceration as being 16-inches long. Bystanders, he said, were applying direct pressure on the wound until the arrival of emergency medical services personnel.

Lacey subsequently was taken to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, where he reportedly underwent surgery. He remained in the intensive care unit Tuesday morning.

Lacey, Mustain said, said Parrent Routt was "responsible for stabbing him. (He) stated that Routt came to his door to pick up Michael Brown, a mutual friend of theirs.

"(He) stated that he was upset because Routt was at his door and he had asked him to leave."

Mustain said Lacey reported wheeling down the ramp, which is connected to his front porch.

Lacey, he said, also reported following Routt to his truck, and about Routt becoming angry with him, as well as yelling at him.

"(Lacey) further explained Routt lunged toward him and he immediately felt a burning sensation to his stomach area," Mustain said. "(He) stated that he initially did not realize he had been stabbed.

"He then got out of his wheel chair and slapped Routt across the face."

Routt and Brown, according to Lacey's statement, then left the residence.

When he arrived, Mustain said, he was given information, which indicated Routt had left the area in a older model, gray pickup and was possibly en route to the Brent Tinnin Apartments on Greenwood Avenue or the Guesthouse Inn in the 2100 block of North Westwood Boulevard.

Mustain said he found a truck matching the description parked in the lot of the Brent Tinnin Apartments. The truck's plates, he said, were registered to Routt.

Having been told Routt was in the company of Brown, whose current address is listed as in Brent Tinnin Apartments, Mustain said, he went to Brown's apartment, where he contacted the men.

"Routt said he had gone to Roy Lacey's house to pick up Brown," Mustain said. "When he came to the front door, he was confronted by Lacey.

"Routt said Lacey did not like him and he ordered him to leave. Then, Routt entered his vehicle and shut the door."

As Routt was digging in his pocket for his key, "Lacey pulled open the driver's side door and punched him on the side of his head, knocking his glasses off," Mustain said. "Then, Routt grabbed a utility knife sitting next to him and swiped at Lacey."

Routt told Mustain he and Brown then fled the area in his truck.

Brown, Mustain said, provided the "same account of the incident."

After Routt gave Mustain permission to search his vehicle, Mustain said, he photographed the utility knife on the seat and then seized it as evidence.

Routt was arrested at 7:30 p.m. and subsequently was booked at the Butler County jail, where he remains today.