The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office says two men are facing first-degree assault charges after a dispute over ownership of a pit bull escalated into a stabbing that left a third man hospitalized.
Deputies identified the men taken into custody as Mike Jarman and Corey Weaver. Investigators said both are charged with first-degree assault in connection with an attack on 25-year-old John Bliss, who suffered multiple stab wounds during the encounter.
According to the sheriff’s office, the confrontation had its roots in a report Jarman had filed with deputies only hours earlier. In that complaint, Jarman accused Bliss of stealing his pit bull, setting the stage for a violent confrontation later that same day.
Investigators said the stabbing happened when Bliss arrived at Jarman’s home, where his girlfriend and their children were staying at the time. Deputies said that during the visit, Jarman and Weaver attacked Bliss, stabbing him several times in the back and on his arms.
Bliss was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries. He was released the following day, according to authorities.
First-degree assault is a Class B felony under Alabama law, carrying the potential for significant prison time upon conviction. The charge typically applies in cases where a person causes serious physical injury to another using a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument, which investigators say applies in this case given the nature and number of Bliss’s wounds.
Disputes over pets, particularly dogs used for breeding or believed to have been stolen, have periodically fueled violent confrontations across the region. Law enforcement officials routinely urge residents to report suspected theft to police rather than confronting the accused party directly, noting that even seemingly minor property disputes can turn dangerous when tempers flare.
The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation into the stabbing remains active. Anyone with additional information about the incident is encouraged to contact the sheriff’s office.