Charges are pending in a domestic assault that could have turned deadly over the weekend. 

A Sunday 1 p.m. call to 911 reported a man who “fell and impaled himself” at Viola Road Car Wash on South Chancery Street. The man was Willard Jason Fults.

“That wasn’t true,” said McMinnville Police detective Sgt. Eddie Colwell. “When officers responded, that deception quickly fell apart. Then, his story changed. He stated that he fell in the shower at Westside Manor and drove to the car wash and that’s where it was called into 911. That wasn’t the truth either.”

Fults allegedly admitted to using deceptive means in an effort to protect a female family member who had stabbed him with a pocket knife.

Many domestic violence cases involve a complex web of “he said/ she said” and this one eventually turned in that direction.

“The incident did occur at the car wash, but he was stabbed and not impaled during an accidental fall,” said Colwell. “Lt. Ben Cantrell interviewed her and she admitted to stabbing him. She said they were arguing and he smacked her so she stabbed him. There was some marks on her. He said he was trying to be a father figure and she wasn’t happy about that. He said he did smack her, but only after she stabbed him.”

Eyewitness statements did little to shed light on the altercation.

“We had two witnesses, but their reports also conflicted,” said Colwell. “One said they were mutually assaulting each other, but the other one did not. Mr. Fults didn’t want to press charges. However, charges can be filed whether or not the alleged victim wants charges filed. At this time, it is still under investigation. There are no changes against either, but that could change.” 

Fults was transported to Ascension Saint Thomas River Park for treatment of his stab wound.