PROVO — A man was charged Thursday with attacking multiple people outside a motel in Provo, leaving two of them unconscious.
Esston Omar Aluqdah, 32, is charged in 4th District Court with of two counts of aggravated assault resulting in serious injury, a second-degree felony; and two counts of aggravated assault, a third-degree felony.
About 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 31, Aluqdah, who police say is homeless, got into a confrontation with a man near 70 E. 300 South in Provo. "The confrontation turned into a shoving match. (Aluqdah) pulled out a knife," according to charging documents.
When this happened, two others tried to intervene and help the victim. But Aluqdah "swung the knife at them, stabbing or cutting" one victim's wrist, the charges state. Those two then ran back into their motel room, and Aluqdah allegedly "continued beating" the first man.
While this was happening, another man arrived at the motel and got out of his car to walk to his motel room. Aluqdah approached the man and "punched him in the face, knocking him unconscious. (The man) fell to the ground, and (Aluqdah) stomped on (his) head and kicked him while (he) was on the ground," the charges allege.
When police arrived, they found the two assault victims "unconscious on the ground," the charges state. The first victim had a "stab wound in his upper left chest/armpit area and lacerations above his eyes."
Provo police say of the four victims, three are men ages 47, 47 and 43, and the woman is 23.
Aluqdah "has been arrested multiple times in multiple states for assault, battery, domestic battery, disorderly conduct/fighting, reckless injury and resisting arrest" and currently has a warrant out for his arrest in California for a probation violation," according to police.
