A 21-year-old Faribault man who allegedly threatened a woman with a steak knife pleaded not guilty to two felony charges Friday in Mower County court.

Jorge Anastacio Barrera faces one count of second-degree assault and one count of terroristic threats.

On May 27, police received a call that a woman was being threatened with a knife. When they arrived in the 24000 block of 534th Avenue in Lansing Township, they found Barrera sitting on a couch in the basement with a steak knife on a nearby table.

The alleged victim, a 21-year-old woman, said she and Barrera had been arguing when Barrera put his hand on her neck and held the knife in a “stabbing posture,” according to court documents. She thought Barrera was going to stab her, so she went upstairs to find another person in the house had called the police.

When officers questioned Barrera, he said he had gone to the basement to escape the argument between himself and the woman. He told police the woman followed him and “got in his face,” according to a court complaint.

Barrera denied ever possessing the steak knife, but said he was holding a screwdriver in his hand during the argument. Police found the screwdriver in between the couch cushions.

Barrera was wanted on arrest warrants in Steele County and Rice County at the time of the alleged incident.

His next court appearance has not been scheduled.