ST. GEORGE – A late-night assault involving three alleged assailants kept St. George Police responders busy for several hours Friday.

At approximately 12:30 a.m., reports of a stabbing in the Dixie Downs area of St. George came in to the St. George Communications Center.

An assault was allegedly perpetrated by three men who approached two victims, both men, in the front yard area of their home, St. George Police Lt. Thad Feltner said.

Two of the three suspects were armed with knives and aggressively came toward the alleged victims, who defended themselves by using pepper spray on two of the suspects, Feltner said.

One of the alleged victims was stabbed in his right upper thigh during the altercation, and the other alleged victim was cut on the fingers of one of his hands.

The alleged suspects did not escape unscathed.

“One of the suspects, who had a knife, was stabbed in the upper torso area,” Feltner said.

“Once that suspect was injured,” he added, “the three suspects fled the scene.”

The three men drove off in a white, older model SUV.

Initial reports regarding the incident stated someone at the scene applied a tourniquet to staunch serious bleeding from the victim who had been stabbed in the leg. After responders arrived at the scene, that man was transported to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George by Gold Cross Ambulance to be treated for the stab wound.

The second alleged victim, whose fingers were cut, was medically treated at the scene and did not require ambulance transportation.

Officers pursuing the suspects’ vehicle, knowing one of the men had been stabbed, surmised the three would likely be en route to the hospital to have the stab wound treated, Feltner said. Sure enough, the vehicle was located and pulled over at approximately 700 South and 900 East in St. George, just blocks away from Dixie Regional Medical Center.

A great deal of manpower was called in from all over St. George to assist in the incident, Feltner said, and officers spent at least six hours dealing with the case. A warrant had to be drafted for the suspect’s vehicle, for instance, he said, so potential evidence could be collected, and that was very time consuming.

The investigation into the incident is still ongoing.

“It’s unknown how many more hours detectives will have to put on the case,” Feltner said.

Two of the three alleged suspects, Tyler Landon Cottam, of St. George, and Duncan Reid Fullerton, of St. George, were arrested at the site where their vehicle was pulled over.

The third suspect, whose name is not being released by the St. George Police Department at the time of this publication, was transported by ambulance to Dixie Regional Medical Center to be treated for his stab wound. He was admitted to the hospital and is in stable condition as this report is published.

“It is anticipated there will be charges filed against him,” Feltner said.

Cottam and Fullerton were booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility and were charged with one third-degree felony each for aggravated assault involving a weapon. According to bookings information late Saturday night, Fullerton remains in custody but Cottam has been released on $5,000 bond.

Though the incident is still under investigation, Feltner said it appears the three suspects and the two alleged victims knew each other prior to Friday’s events.

“What exactly started (the confrontation) and why the suspects came to the victims’ house is still under investigation,” Feltner said.

In addition to the St. George Police Department, officers from Dixie State University Campus Police responded to assist with the traffic stop, Feltner said. The St. George Fire Department and Gold Cross Ambulance also responded to the incident.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

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