Charges, bail increased in stabbing incident

    Jose Angel Garcia Porras, the man arrested in a Dec. 11 stabbing incident in Imperial, is facing additional charges and higher bail following a Dec. 14 arraignment in Chase County Court.
    County Attorney Arlan Wine said more information gathered from the investigation led to the added charges and increased bail requests before Judge Edward Steenburg.
    Garcia Porras now faces two counts of 1st degree assault, up from the original two counts of 2nd degree assault, as well as an added possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibitive person charge.
    Two counts of use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony were unchanged.
    All charges are felonies.
    Garcia Porras’ bond was also increased by the judge from $150,000 to $250,000. Wine said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials had asked for a $500,000 bond.
    Even if Garcia Porras would post the 10% bond requirement to be released from Chase County Jail, there is an ICE detainer on him that would keep him behind bars, Wine said.
    Garcia Porras has been deported twice, according to Wine.
    “We’re at the beginning of a very chaotic situation,” Wine said.
    The incident is being investigated by the Imperial Police Department.
    Sgt. Chad Ostmeyer said Monday they continue to investigate the altercation that morning, and did find bullets on the scene, including a spent shell casing and two unspent casings.
    He said officers continue to interview witnesses.
    Garcia Porras was one of a number of people attending a birthday party at the Imperial city gym Dec. 10, according to the police report.  
    An altercation between multiple individuals took place outside of the gym about 2 a.m. Dec. 11 in the parking lot.
    Imperial police were called to Chase County Community Hospital at 2:08 a.m. after hospital personnel contacted the police directly asking for assistance at the emergency room entrance, Chief Ryan Wisnieski said last week.
    Guillermo Lopez, 33, of Holyoke, Colorado and Rafael Morales, 21, also of Holyoke, had sought medical treatment at the hospital, both with stab wounds. They were transported to the hospital in private vehicles, and later air-lifted to Kearney medical facilities.
    On Friday, Princess Valencia, who rented the city gym for the Dec. 10 birthday party, said the party had “well ended” before the parking lot altercation around 2 a.m. She said she left around midnight, but people were still inside cleaning up.
    Garcia Porras was invited to the party, she said, but the men from Holyoke who sustained the stabbing wounds were not.
    Last week’s arraignment was held via phone conference due to the weather, Wine said.
    A Jan. 11 preliminary hearing is now set for Garcia Porras in county court.
    New county officials take office Jan. 5, after which the case will be in the hands of newly-elected County Attorney Joel Burke.