Rexford man jailed after knife assault

A Rexford man is charged with assault with a weapon after he allegedly stabbed his step father with a knife during an incident last month.

Travis C. Plantiko, 42, pleaded not guilty to the felony as well as one misdemeanor count of partner or family member assault on Monday, Aug. 1 in Lincoln County District Court.

The case began on the afternoon of July 17 when the step father called 911 and reported Plantiko was off his medication, throwing things and screaming at a home on Enchanted Way.

When Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Michael Avila responded to the scene, he spoke to the alleged victims. The officer saw blood on the step father’s torn shirt and left forearm. There were two small cuts on the man’s left forearm.

According to court document, the step father said he wanted a restraining order against Plantiko and he wanted him to leave the property. The stepfather said Plantiko was sleeping on the couch when one of their dogs jumped on him. The step father said Plantiko knocked a coffee maker over and broke a fan. The mother said Plantiko was going ballistic about everything.

The step father said Plantiko went outside, but then returned and called the woman a vulgar name.

The step father said Plantiko began slamming the refrigerator door open and shut and he went over to make sure the appliance wasn’t pulled over. He said Plantiko’s anger grew and the defendant grabbed a black steak knife and a silver butter knife from the dish drainer.

The alleged victim said Plantiko went low at him with the knives in an alleged attempt to stab him, but the step father grabbed Plantiko’s arm and the knives fell into the trash.

The step father said Plantiko regularly threatens to kill him and his wife. When asked by the officer about medications, the step father said he “was only off his pain pills.” The step father also said Plantiko had thrown chairs at his wife. He also said Plantiko usually calls him a “punk ass bitch” and a “cop caller.”

The step father said he had tried helping Plantiko get to his doctor appointments, see his psychiatrist and gives him money.

But, according to the probable cause statement, the man now believes he will wake up with a knife in his throat. The man also said Plantiko grabbed his shirt and tore it after he dropped the knives.

Plantiko remains in the Lincoln County Detention Center on $25,000 bail.

A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Plantiko on Dec. 12.

The maximum penalty for assault with a weapon is 20 years in the Montana State Prison. For partner or family member assault, the maximum is one year in the county jail.