Winchester man arraigned in Hill Street stabbing case

A Winchester man charged with stabbing another during a fight entered his not guilty plea to assault charges.
Daniel Santiago, 24, was arrested for first-degree assault in the early morning hours Sunday after police responded to a report of a fight in an alley near Hill Street.
When officers reached the scene, they saw a vehicle leaving. When officers stopped the vehicle, they found the victim from the incident in the car. While EMTs were treating the victim, Angel Lopez, officers followed a trail of blood from the scene of the fight to 352 Hill St., where they found Santiago covered in blood and lying on a mattress, according to court documents. Santiago was not injured. He was interviewed and arrested a couple hours later.
Both Lopez and witnesses identified Santiago as the perpetrator, police said.
On Wednesday, Clark District Judge Earl-Ray Neal entered an automatic not guilty plea and appointed an attorney from the Department of Public Advocacy to represent him. He also requested an interpreter be present for the preliminary hearing on June 8.
According to a search warrant, officers recovered a knife with blood on it and took a swab of blood found in the bathroom of the residence.

Contact Fred Petke at fpetke@winchestersun.com.