By Sam Wilmes

newsroom@austindailyherald.com

ALBERT LEA — An Albert Lea woman was intoxicated when she allegedly stabbed her ex-boyfriend early Saturday in southern Albert Lea.

Ashley Nicole Randall, 22, was charged Monday in Freeborn County District Court with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, felony domestic assault and recklessly handling or using a dangerous weapon.

She claimed she was under the influence when the alleged incident occurred.

Randall was charged after officers from the Albert Lea Police Department and Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to 802 E. 18 1/2 St. at approximately 3:22 a.m. Saturday.

According to the court complaint, officers found the alleged victim, a 27-year-old man, in the kitchen of the residence who claimed that Randall had stabbed him. The alleged victim reportedly sustained an approximately half inch to an inch wound to the abdomen and was transported by ambulance to Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea. He was treated and released Sunday.

Officers at the scene reportedly seized a knife with a black blade and a black handle from the kitchen floor of the house and observed drops of blood in the kitchen and the bathroom.

Randall was reportedly found walking across East 18th Street near Clayton Avenue and was arrested. Her hands reportedly had blood on them, according to court documents.

Officers interviewed two witnesses following the alleged incident. The first witness claimed she saw Randall pull a knife from her sleeve and push the knife into the alleged victim’s abdomen.

The second witness reported he saw Randall strike the first witness. The second witness claimed the alleged victim confronted Randall and told the first witness to call the cops before the alleged incident.

The alleged victim reportedly gave a short statement to a detective at the hospital. He reported that Randall was at his residence when he returned home with the first witness.

He said Randall reportedly began fighting with the first witness. He said he was stabbed when he went to pick Randall up after she fell to the ground, and that Randall didn’t have the knife when she fell to the ground. He said he wanted to think it was an accident.

Randall reportedly told police that she and the victim had lived at the residence for about a month and had been in a relationship for six months.

She said she had been drinking all evening, and she and the alleged victim left the bar shortly before it closed before stopping at a friend’s house. Randall said the victim drove away, leaving her there. She began walking back to the house when a friend picked her up and drove her the rest of the way.

When she was back at the house she said she got a knife from the bedroom drawer to prevent people from trying to break into the residence.

Randall said she heard someone at the door, so she opened the door and saw a person on the steps.

Randall claimed that the alleged victim ran up and started fighting with her, and she couldn’t remember what happened after that.

If convicted of second-degree assault, Randall faces a maximum sentence of seven years in prison and a $14,000 fine; if convicted of felony domestic assault, she faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Freeborn County District Court Judge Steve Schwab set conditional bail at $2,500.

Her next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 7.