Pasco stabbing in ‘squatter’ home allegedly over failed overdose

An Oregon man allegedly stabbed a friend 10 times when he was enraged over his own failed suicide attempt, say officials.

Aaron M. Scott, 41, reportedly moved into a so-called squatter home in Pasco just days before the July 24 fight.

He claimed that Kelly J. Ragsdale charged him after discovering a number of broken things inside the house. However, Scott admitted he grabbed a knife and “just lost it” while fighting with Ragsdale, court documents said.

Scott eventually called 911 from his cellphone when the injured Ragsdale said he believed he was dying, documents said.

On Tuesday, Scott entered an innocent plea in Franklin County Superior Court to first-degree assault. Trial is scheduled Sept. 13.

Pasco police were called at 2:29 p.m. about a man who had just been stabbed and was sitting outside a boarded up home in the 500 block of South Sycamore Avenue.

When asked who stabbed Ragsdale, the caller said he didn’t know and that the victim would need to be asked by officers, court documents said. Scott did not identify himself on the call, and hung up before dispatchers could get more information.

Ragsdale, 33, was only wearing underwear and was covered in blood when he was found on the sidewalk.

He was rushed to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, where medical staff found a stab wound on his right arm, three on his torso, one on the side of his neck, another to his left arm and four to the center of his back. He also had to deep cuts to the inside of his hand that were described as defensive wounds.

In the meantime, officers surrounded the house and noticed a man inside.

Scott had a small cuts to the side of his head, behind his ear and on a knuckle, along with a 2-inch scratch on his forehead, court documents said. His clothes also were soaked in blood.

While being treated at Lourdes Medical Center in Pasco, Scott told officers that Ragsdale had invited him to stay at the home a couple days earlier. Documents show he has a La Grande, Ore., address.

Scott claimed he woke up that morning and tried to overdose on methamphetamine, but failed. He then became angry and broke things, court documents said.

Ragsdale came home, saw what his friend had done and allegedly started fighting with Scott.

Scott said he thought Ragsdale had a knife, but couldn’t say for sure. Scott said he grabbed a nearby knife and attacked Ragsdale, documents said.

Scott told investigators he got his friend some water after noticing the severity of his injuries, then called for help even though he couldn’t remember talking to a dispatcher, court documents said.

Scott was worried that he had killed his friend, and told investigators he regretted his actions and wished he could take it all back, documents said.

Scott is in the Franklin County jail on $100,000 bail.

This story was originally published August 2, 2017 at 4:49 PM with the headline "Pasco stabbing in ‘squatter’ home allegedly over failed overdose."