Man jailed in stabbing

SANDPOINT — A Bonner County man was arrested for allegedly stabbing his estranged wife outside an apartment complex on Saturday.

The woman survived the attack and Joshua Carl Skandunas is charged with attempted murder and burglary for entering an apartment in order to kill the woman.

Skandunas made an initial appearance in Bonner County Magistrate Court via videoconferencing with the Bonner County Jail on Monday. The court record, however, did not indicate whether he was appointed defense counsel or what his bail was set at.

Witnesses told Sandpoint Police they saw the alleged victim being chased with a butcher knife in the 1100 block of North Division Avenue shortly after 6:30 p.m. Officers located a woman with two stab wounds to her upper torso, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Skandunas, 48, was identified as the suspect. He told police he was upset about his wife, from whom he is currently separated, for allegedly having an affair and being dishonest about it, the affidavit said. Skandunas, the affidavit said, may have stabbed her during the altercation, but told police he could not remember details about the confrontation.

The alleged victim told police she was getting her mail when Skandunas appeared, said he had a package and asked to be let into her apartment. The alleged victim refused the request and told Skandunas to leave, which he refused to do, the affidavit said.

Skandunas pulled a butcher knife from behind his back and the woman suffered a defensive wound to her left hand attempting to grab the weapon, according to the affidavit. The woman was stabbed twice and sought refuge in a woman's apartment, the affidavit said. The woman who let her into the apartment said she saw Skandunas walking toward the alleged victim's apartment, heard yelling and saw Skandunas chasing her with a knife in hand.

"He was trying to kill her," the woman told police.

The alleged victim took refuge in the woman's apartment, but Skandunas forced his way into the dwelling, prompting the woman's boyfriend to eject Skandunas.

A preliminary hearing in the case is set for Sept. 9. Attempted murder is punishable by up to 15 years in prison, according to Idaho Code. Burglary is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.