Man arrested after allegedly stabbing man in face in Rexburg
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REXBURG — A 51-year-old man was arrested on Saturday after he allegedly stabbed another man in the face inside a Rexburg home.
Gerardo Estrella Mendoza is charged with a felony for aggravated battery with the use of a deadly instrument, and an enhancement for the use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony.
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According to court documents, a Rexburg Police officer was called to a home on Second East in Rexburg around 7:45 p.m. Police spoke with the victim, who said Mendoza walked into his home, opened the door, and called out his name.
The man told police he was lying down watching television when Mendoza, armed with a knife, found him.
Mendoza stabbed the victim twice with a knife on the right side of his face, according to police. The victim fought him off, and Mendoza left the home.
The victim went to Madison Memorial Hospital, where one of his two wounds reportedly required nine stitches to close, and the other was fixed with medical adhesive.
A warrant was issued for Mendoza’s arrest, and he was booked into the Madison County Jail on Monday with a $50,000 bond, which was later increased to $150,000. A no-contact order was issued for the victim, and Mendoza is expected to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 30.
If convicted, he could face up to 30 years in prison.
Mendoza has been appointed a public defender. The Idaho State Public Defender’s Office does not comment on active cases.
Though Mendoza has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.
Previous case
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In 2023, Mendoza was arrested and charged with felony unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon regarding an incident where he allegedly shot a woman through her hand and in the upper leg.
For this, he was given a suspended sentence of two years fixed and four years maximum, three years of felony probation, 3Y, and 50 hours of community service.