Greencastle man facing battery charge in Bainbridge stabbing

Zachary Poole

A 34-year-old rural Greencastle man is being held on charges of battery with a deadly weapon as a result of an early morning incident Sunday in Bainbridge.

Zachary A. Poole made his initial court appearance Wednesday afternoon before Putnam Superior Court Judge Denny Bridges in a case that alleges he stabbed Daniel Christopher Shaw, 27, Bainbridge, twice in the left side of his neck during an altercation at the home of a mutual friend.

According to medical personnel interviewed for the probable cause affidavit in the case, Shaw is lucky to be alive.

The victim was “very lucky,” the court document noted, adding that “one inch the other direction and he could have been critically injured.”

Shaw also reportedly suffered a six-inch cut mark on the right side of his neck.

The doctor said “it was a miracle he was alive,” Bainbridge Marshal Rodney Fenwick stated in the probable cause affidavit.

Judge Bridges entered a not-guilty plea on Poole’s behalf and, acting on Putnam County Prosecutor Timothy Bookwalter’s recommendation, ordered the defendant held at the Putnam County Jail on $20,000 bond (with 10 percent allowable).

Poole is facing one to six years in prison for the Level 5 felony count of battery by means of a deadly weapon.

Court records indicate the situation began to unfold after Shaw went to the Bainbridge Tap about 2 a.m. Sunday and initially had harsh words with a friend, Joe Baker, about a reported story he had allegedly been telling about Shaw.

That was when “for no apparent reason,” according to Shaw’s statement to police, Poole reportedly grabbed Shaw and put him in a headlock and a verbal exchange ensued.

It was then that the bartender ordered the men out of The Tap and they all left together as it appeared that their disagreements were history.

However, when further drinking occurred at Baker’s home on Pat Rady Way, another argument developed and Poole reportedly “jumped up and came at Shaw,” court records note.

Moments later Shaw realized he’d been stabbed in the neck by what was described as “a small razor knife.” Another friend, Tyler Alsop, grabbed something to stop the bleeding and the victim said he felt as though he was going to be all right.

As Poole reportedly apologized profusely, Shaw left the premises, walking to a friend’s house to spend the night, despite the urging of others to go to the hospital.

“The next morning,” the probable cause noted, Shaw “began to feel like he was having problems” and said he “felt air coming out of one of the stab wounds.”

After walking over to his dad and grandfather’s house, Shaw finally consented to go to Hendricks Regional Hospital, and was later transferred to Methodist Hospital at Indianapolis for further examination.

No further information was available about his wounds and condition.

Meanwhile, Marshal Fenwick and Deputy Mike Downing and Reserve Deputy Ken Rozelle found Poole at the body shop where he works near Raccoon, just south of the Putnam-Montgomery county line, and brought him back to Bainbridge for questioning and his subsequent arrest.

The suspect told police he did not remember any arguments or even that Shaw had been stabbed, admitting he had been “drinking a lot,” the probable cause information stated.

Poole told Judge Bridges he would hire his own attorney and the judge set a pretrial conference in the case for 9 a.m. March 8.