MILLCREEK — A 46-year-old man has been arrested and accused of slashing another man's neck in a drug dispute.
Joaquin "Chewy" Alvaro Sanchez was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Monday for investigation of attempted aggravated murder, aggravated assault, being a restricted person in possession of a weapon and drug possession.
The investigation began about 3 a.m. on Nov. 24 when Unified police were called to Intermountain Medical Center for a stabbing patient. When officers arrived, the victim told them that he was inside an apartment near 4150 S. 300 East when Alvaro "entered the room holding a handgun and a knife, moved behind him, and slashed the left side of his neck. (The victim) sustained a laceration approximately 5 inches in length requiring seven internal and 21 external (stitches)," according to a police booking affidavit.
The victim said the assault was the result of a drug dispute that started on Nov. 7. Alvaro gave the victim meth in exchange for silver jewelry and silver coins, and cash to be paid later, the affidavit states.
But the victim "did not want to traffic narcotics and attempted to dispose of or return the meth," police said.
On Nov. 22, the victim received a voicemail from Alvaro "stating it was about principle" and that Alvaro "would come after" the man and his family, according to the affidavit.
Early on Nov. 24, the victim went to a woman's residence, and Alvaro "emerged from another room, made a threatening statement, and committed the knife attack before leaving," the affidavit alleges.
Alvaro was located by police on Monday and arrested.
