Charges: Man, 18, stabbed, critically injured victim during White Bear Lake dispute

A White Bear Lake man has been charged with felony assault in a stabbing that left the victim critically injured during a neighborhood dispute early Saturday morning.

The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office charged Jeffrey Thomas Rice, 18, on Monday with first-degree assault in the stabbing of 20-year-old Mason Fike on Saturday during a neighborhood argument just before 2 a.m. Fike was rushed to Regions Hospital, where doctors said he could have died without quick medical help.

According to charging documents:

A woman claimed she was walking with Fike in front a home in of the 2100 block of Southwood Drive on Saturday morning when Fike yelled at a group of kids riding bicycles that it was past their bedtime. That’s when she said Rice exited the home and began yelling.

Fike walked back toward Rice’s house. The woman claims Rice threw the first punch at Fike, and “the next thing she knew, [Fike] was bleeding from stab wounds.”

White Bear Lake officers reported to the stabbing at 1:51 a.m., finding Fike on his back as the woman applied pressure to his wounds. He was rushed to Regions for emergency surgery. Doctors said he suffered stab wounds to the small intestine, colon, left kidney, bladder and spleen.

Hospital officials say Fike has been in fair condition since Monday. An online fundraiser to support paying for his medical expenses has raised nearly $50,000.

Rice’s sister told police she was watching TV on the couch when she heard yells and screams outside. She said her brother “stormed outside” to confront people and was “all over the place,” walking in the yard, to the door and down the driveway. Moments later she said Rice and Fike were arguing in the yard and Rice stabbed Fike. She yelled at Rice to stop, and said he walked to his car and left as Fike lay bleeding.

She said Rice had a black pocketknife. Officers later found a folding pocketknife in the yard.

Rice was arrested at the intersection of Kenny Lane and Spruce Place with blood on his skin and clothes. Officers noticed no injuries.

In recorded jail calls, Rice asked “is that dude all right?” before telling the person he called to say nothing.

“[Rice] said it was ‘self-defense.’ He said, ‘I do apologize for doing that though,’” the charging documents read. “Rice added that [Fike] and his girlfriend were drunk and causing a scene.”

Rice posted $60,000 bail Tuesday, and was ordered not to possess any firearms, ammunition or dangerous weapons. His first court appearance is Aug. 21.