News

Actions

Lafayette man accused of cutting another’s throat with a machete

Posted at 10:55 AM, May 22, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-22 11:55:02-04

Lafayette Police arrested a local man this weekend and booked him in connection with stabbing of another.

Preston Vanwright, 23, was booked with attempted second-degree murder in connection with the May 16 incident, records show. He remains in LPCC with bond set at $100,000 for his release. 

Police were called to an address on Vieux Orleans Circle, and found a victim with a severe laceration on his neck. He was transported to a hospital and was found to have a cut from his left ear to his carotid artery, causing severe blood loss. He also had a broken bone in his face, and is currently listed in critical condition, records shows. 

Investigators say the victim was the ex-boyfriend of Vanwright’s sister. He used to live at the home where the incident happened, and had stayed there for two days prior to the incident, records show. He had come back to pick up his belongings, and got into an argument with Vanwright’s sister, records show. The sister called Vanwright to come out of his bedroom to get her child, and he allegedly came out of the bedroom with a machete. The victim allegedly told Vanwright he was going to beat him up, and Vanwright allegedly swung the machete, cutting the victim’s neck, records show.

Vanwright told investigators that his sister and the victim were yelling, and when he heard the victim say he was going to beat Vanwright up, he got his machete and confronted the victim, records show. The sister told Vanwright to leave the room, and he did, but when he head more yelling he came out again. He allegedly told investigators that the victim ran at him, so he swung the machete and it hit the victim, records show. 

Investigators found a two-foot long machete with a 15-inch blade at the residence, records show.