Onalaska Man Accused of Swinging Knife at Man, Hitting Deputy

An Onalaska man was charged this week with three felony counts of assault and one of misdemeanor assault after deputies said he swung a knife at a man, punched a woman in the stomach, struck a deputy and threw a needle at a nurse.

Kevin J. Schneider, 56, was charged with one count of second-degree assault, two counts of third-degree assault and one count of fourth-degree assault — domestic violence in Lewis County Superior Court Tuesday. He’s being held in the Lewis County Jail on $15,000 bail, as of Tuesday.

According to a probable cause affidavit, on Monday, deputies with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office went to a house on Jackson Highway, where they found Schneider unconscious on the back porch. A man and a woman — both are familiar with Schneider — who live in the house said they came home to find Schneider inside.

Court documents indicate the woman told Schneider he needed to leave and he struck her in the stomach. She then called 911, and was able to get Schneider out of the house. He then allegedly wielded a knife and started kicking the back door. The man said he tried to stop Schneider and that Schneider started swinging the knife at him. He tackled Schneider to the ground and punched him until he was unconscious, according to court documents.

Chief Deputy Dusty Breen, in an email to The Chronicle, indicated Schneider commented “about how he and everyone else would be dead.”

Deputies found that Schneider had a cut on his arm and that there was blood on the knife. Breen, in the email, wrote the injury was to Schneider’s wrist, and was likely sustained during the struggle. 

Schneider was transported to a hospital, and at some point after regaining consciousness, allegedly began swinging his fists at responding deputies, striking one. Court documents do not indicate where he struck the deputy or how seriously the deputy was injured.

While being treated at an area hospital, Schneider allegedly removed an IV needle from his hand and threw it at a nurse.

During a hearing in Lewis County Superior Court Tuesday afternoon, Commissioner Tracy Mitchell imposed $15,000 bail, less than a request of $25,000 from Deputy Prosecutor Jessica Blye. Defense attorney Rachael Tiller highlighted that Schneider had limited criminal history, with the last offense occurring in the 1990s, and said that Schneider wanted to be released on unsecured bail. 

He has an arraignment hearing on Thursday.