A Soldotna woman was arraigned Friday in Kenai on charges of assault after allegedly attacking two people with a knife Thursday evening.
Dawn Ellis, 41, is charged with two counts of assault in the second degree with a weapon, one count of burglary in the first degree and one count of assault in the third degree, according to online court documents.
During her arraignment Friday at the Kenai Courthouse, Magistrate Jennifer Wells read aloud Ellis’ charging documents and probable cause statement. In it, she is accused of crossing the street from her home on Banner Lane in Soldotna and entering the home of Garrett Mayer with a knife.
Officers wrote in the statement that she spoke to Mayer from her driveway, then entered his house about half an hour later, where she tried to attack him, Wells read. Mayer said the first encounter with Ellis happened around 6:30 p.m. Thursday, and that she came into the house around 7:10 p.m. He said his wife later called 911.
According to the probable cause statement Wells read, Mayer’s mother Ginger Mayer, who was visiting at the time, grabbed a broom and hit Ellis over the head and shoulders with it, but it had no effect.
Garrett Mayer got a few cuts on both hands while he tried to wrestle the knife away from Ellis, Wells read from the statement. His mother was also cut.
Ellis allegedly dragged Garrett Mayer outside by the hair before letting go and returning to her own home, according to the statement. When officers arrived, Ellis originally would not open the door and spoke to officers through an open window, Wells read from the statement. Soldotna Police Chief Peter Mlynarik said at least three Soldotna Police officers responded to the incident. Garrett and Ginger Mayer addressed the court before Wells set bail for Ellis, saying they would prefer Ellis not be able to return to her house across the street from theirs.
“I think it’s important to order a high enough bail,” Ginger Mayer said. “I believe she intended to murder (Garrett Mayer). I was there, it was horrifying.”
Wells set Ellis a $10,000 cash performance bail and ordered that she have a third-party custodian. She is not to have contact with the Mayer family, Wells said, but can return to her home. Assault in the second degree and burglary in the first degree are class B felonies that can carry a punishment of up to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to $100,000. Assault in the third degree is a class C felony punishable by up to five years in jail and a fine of up to $50,000.
Reach Megan Pacer at megan.pacer@peninsulaclarion.com.
