Woman charged after allegedly trying to stab ‘friend’ after fight about pet being on furniture

BLACKFOOT — A 36-year-old woman was arrested after she allegedly tried to stab a woman for allowing a pet on her couch.

Tana Michelle Rodriguez was charged with felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a felony enhancement for the use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony, misdemeanor intentional destruction of a telecommunication line, misdemeanor resisting or obstructing officers and misdemeanor battery.

On Aug. 16, around 9:30 a.m., a woman contacted a deputy with the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office to report an alleged aggravated assault.

According to court documents, the incident occurred early that morning. The woman was picked up by her friend, Rodriguez, to hang out at Rodriguez’s house. Around 3:30 a.m., the woman’s dog got onto the couch, which reportedly upset Rodriguez.

The woman then sat on the floor with the dog but decided to walk home instead of staying longer. When she stood up, Rodriguez reportedly “lunged at her, pushing her up against a wall.”

Rodriguez allegedly began a physical fight with the woman, giving her multiple scratches on her shoulders and body. Rodriguez then left the room, coming back with a knife and allegedly threatened to stab the woman.

The woman told the deputy that Rodriguez threatened her multiple times and was “in close proximity to her.”

Rodriguez reportedly held the knife “in an aggressive manner above (the woman’s) head like she was going to try and swing down and stab her,” according to police reports.

When the woman tried to call 911, Rodriguez allegedly took her phone. The woman said she could not leave and had no other way to call 911.

Rodriguez eventually called the woman a cab, and the two drove to a gas station. The victim says Rodriguez would not return her phone until they reached the gas station. Rodriguez reportedly gave the woman $18 to cover a $31 cab ride.

The woman then got a ride home from a “guy she did not know from the gas station.”

The deputy tried to talk to Rodriguez at her home and noticed the car she is reportedly known to drive in the driveway, but she did not answer.

On Aug. 23, the deputy spoke with Rodriguez at her home. Rodriguez claimed she did not know anyone with the victim’s name and “was not sure what (the deputy) was talking about.”

The deputy showed Rodriguez a picture of the victim, and she admitted to hanging out with her that night but said she knew her by a different name.

Rodriguez reportedly stated she picked up the victim and another friend to help around a farm, and it was the first time she had met the victim. She said the victim’s dog had bitten her, so she ordered a cab for her, gave her $50 so she could leave, and denied that there had been a physical fight.

After the deputy explained there was evidence of an assault, Rodriguez reportedly stated, “(the victim) probably did it to herself.”

The deputy contacted the victim and asked if another woman had been present, and she replied that there had not. She said she had known Rodriguez since February or March 2023.

On Aug. 24, Rodriguez called the deputy, saying she “wanted to give (the deputy) her side of the story.”

Rodriguez admitted there was nobody else there and that she had lied about one of her friends also being present. She then gave the deputy the phone number for her friend, whom she initially claimed was present.

At the house, Rodriguez said she found the victim trying to steal money from her purse, so she pushed her “but did not cause any injuries.”

She told the deputy she called a taxi company but did not say what happened afterward. She then gave the deputy a phone number for the taxi company.

Rodriguez reportedly told the deputy the victim “is a liar and (the deputy) should not believe her.” She told the deputy to call the taxi company and that they would “prove (the victim) was not beat up.”

When asked if she ever had a knife during the argument, she said no, but that there was a knife in her purse that she never took out.

Later, when the deputy tried to call the number Rodriguez had given him for the third woman, it was no longer in service. When he tried to call the taxi company, it went to voicemail; however, according to the deputy, the voicemail was not for a cab company.

A warrant was issued for Rodriguez’s arrest on Feb. 13, and she was booked into the Bingham County jail on a bond of $10,000. She later posted bail and was released.

A no-contact order was issued for the victim.

Rodriguez is expected to appear for a preliminary hearing on March 14. If convicted, she could face up to seven-and-a-half years in prison.

Though Rodriguez has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean she committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.