Four people charged in connection to stabbing, shooting incident - East Idaho News
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Four people charged in connection to stabbing, shooting incident

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POCATELLO — Nearly two months after the incident, prosecutors have charged four people in connection to a West Center Street altercation that left two individuals stabbed and ended in gunfire.

Darin “D’Beau” Black, 46, of Pocatello has been charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without the intent to kill for allegedly firing two shots toward two men involved in the altercation.

The incident occurred in September when four men, including the two Black allegedly shot at, became involved in a physical confrontation with a couple in the 300 block of West Center Street.

The couple, Cody Howell, 21, and Cheyenne Rodgers, 22, both of Pocatello, are each facing misdemeanor disturbing the peace charges for the incident.

One of the four men who fought the couple, William Mastel, 31, of Pocatello, has been charged with misdemeanor disturbing the peace and misdemeanor battery.

The altercation occurred because of a dispute between the four men and the couple. Black is friends with the couple and was present when the altercation began.

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Black, Howell, Mastel and Rodgers declined to comment when contacted by the Journal on Monday. But Black’s attorney, Aaron Thompson of Pocatello, said his client plans to fight the charges.

“We have a preliminary hearing scheduled next week and we intend to defend Darin as vigorously as we possibly can,” Thompson said during a Monday phone interview. “We will let the facts speak for themselves.”

The incident that resulted in the charges against Black began in the early morning hours of Sept. 16 when Howell and Rodgers were walking home from the First National Bar, located on West Center Street.

Security camera video released to the Journal following the incident showed that at approximately 3 a.m. Howell and Rodgers were standing with Black near a West Center Street alleyway when a Subaru sedan pulled in front of the trio and the four men exited the vehicle.

One of the Subaru’s four occupants, believed to be Mastel, quickly emerged from the rear passenger seat of the car and immediately punched Howell in the face, according to the video.

The video shows that a struggle ensued and Howell and Mastel stumbled in front of the car and two of the other men from the vehicle joined the tussle.

The man believed to be Black briefly disappeared from the camera’s view but reappears entering a nearby building.

It’s unclear at this point what exactly was happening between the three men from the Subaru and Howell in front of the car because the vehicle’s lights obscured the video. But as the struggle continued the fourth man — the car’s driver — joined the fray.

The video then shows Rodgers reaching for something in her purse and running toward the group of four men fighting Howell. It’s unclear if Rodgers stabbed any of the four men fighting Howell at this point but one of the men can be heard shouting “knife.”

Mastel and one of the other men from the Subaru can then be seen wrestling Rodgers to the ground. The video next shows Mastel removing his shirt and stating he has been stabbed by Rodgers and to get the knife from her. Despite also being stabbed by Rodgers, the other man continues to wrestle with her on the ground when Black returns holding a handgun.

Pointing the pistol in the direction of one of the other two men from the Subaru, who were fighting with Howell at the time, Black can be seen on video firing one shot. He then pivots and points the gun toward Mastel and fires another shot, according to the video. No one was wounded by either of the shots fired but the gunfire caused all but one of the men from the Subaru to run from the scene.

The video next shows Howell running over to the Subaru and apparently turning the vehicle off. Black then apparently ordered the man who did not flee to get on the ground. This man was the individual who had been stabbed along with Mastel. After several minutes, this man can be seen entering the Subaru and driving away. Howell, Rodgers and Black then enter a nearby building and the video ends.

Pocatello police arrived soon afterward and began investigating the incident. Howell and Rodgers were interviewed by police before being driven via private vehicle to Portneuf Medical Center. Rodgers was treated and released for a black eye and a severely bruised wrist that was placed in a brace. Howell was treated and released for a dislocated shoulder and bruises around his neck.

Mastel and the other man who’d been stabbed eventually also arrived at PMC via private vehicle. They were treated and eventually released from the hospital.

None of the people charged in this case were arrested following the incident but they have received summonses to appear in court. Bannock County prosecutors will handle Black’s case. He is expected to be in court for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 14.

Prosecutors with the city of Pocatello will handle the charges against Howell, Mastel and Rodgers, who are also due in court for their arraignments on Nov. 14.

Black faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000 or both if convicted of the felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charges.

Mastel faces up to two years in jail, a fine of up to $2,000 or both if he’s convicted of the battery and disturbing the peace charges.

Howell and Rodgers each face up to six months in jail, a fine of up to $1,000 or both if they’re convicted of disturbing the peace.

This story originally appeared in the Idaho State Journal. It is posted here with permission.

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