Eisner faces attempted homicide charges

Charges stem from New Year’s Day stabbing outside a Rib Lake tavern

Andrew James Eisner, 30, of Rib Lake, faces up to 60 years in prison for stabbing Joseph M. Fuentez outside Bird’s Nest tavern in Rib Lake early New Years Day.

Taylor County District Attorney Krisiti Tlusty charged Eisner with first degree attempted homicide. Eisner was in court last week for his preliminary hearing and entered a non-guilty plea to the attempted homicide charge.

Judge Ann Knox-Bauer found there was probable cause that a crime was committed and bound Eisner over for trial. A pre-trial conference is scheduled between Tlusty and Eisner’s attorney Wright Laufenberg for April 1.

Taylor County deputy Eric Peterson, who was the initial officer to respond to the incident testified at the preliminary hearing. In his report, Peterson told of seeing blood on the ground by the street and entrance to the bar and coming into the bar to find a man identified as the victim, sitting at the bar with several rags held to his chest and stomach area.

Fuentez told Peterson that he had had trouble with Eisner earlier in the night and had shoved him away three times telling him to stay away from him. Fuentez stated that he was walking in the bar and that Eisner was walking out and bumped into him so he hit Eisiner “but not hard.”

Fuentez said he was outside smoking when Eisner came up and started stabbing him. Peterson reported that Fuentez had a strong odor of intoxicants about him before being transported by ambulance to the emergency room.

Peterson also interviewed two other men at the scene who reported seeing Eisner come up to the victim and begin stabbing him. A witness described the blade used as being smaller and black colored.

According to the criminal complaint, Peterson went to Eisner’s residence and talked to his parents who showed him where Eisner’s knife was kept. Peterson reported the knife had been cleaned off by that time. Peterson then arrested Eisner for substantial battery from the stabbing.

“[Eisner] later stated that the knife I had was the one he used to stab [Fuentez,]” Peterson stated.

According to Peterson he did not ask Eisner any questions while transporting him to the Taylor County Jail, but that Eisner admitted to stabbing Fuentez and said he “just lost it.” Eisner told Peterson that Fuentez had been harassing him for one to two years and that he couldn’t take it any longer. “[Eisner] stated that at one point he gave his pocket knife to a friend because he didn’t want to stab [Fuentez] and thought he might,” Peterson wrote in his report.

At the jail, Eisner was booked and a preliminary breath test showed a blood alcohol reading of .127%. After being read his Miranda warning, Eisner was questioned at the jail and told Peterson that Fuentez had struck him in the head three times that night. Eisner stated that the last time was around 3-4 a.m. he was walking in the front door when Fuentez was walking out and that Fuentez hit him in the chest with his shoulder. Eisner stated that Fuentez told him to get out of his way and that they argued for 30 to 60 seconds before Eisner took his knife out of his left coat pocket and started stabbing and slashing at Fuentez.

“[Eisner] stated that he didn’t want to kill him but he wanted to hurt him,” Peterson stated.

Fuentez ended up with seven cuts requiring seven stitches and several applications of glue to close the wounds. In a statement to law enforcement, Fuentez said he tried to avoid Eisner at the bar. Fuentez described the attack saying he was outside smoking when Eisner came up to him and started stabbing him stating at first he thought Eisner was trying to hit him but then “felt a poke.” The two men fought and were separated by bystanders and that Eisner ran across the street, got in his vehicle and left.