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• River Falls man facing attempted murder charge in stabbing of Hudson man
• Former River Falls man facing attempted murder charge in stabbing of Hudson man
• Kansas City Chiefs announce camp dates at UW-River Falls

By Phil Pfuehler, RiverTown Staff

A 24-year-old former River Falls man has been charged by the Pierce County District Attorney with attempted first-degree intentional homicide and aggravated battery with a dangerous weapon.

The two felonies stem from the knifing of a Hudson man eight times on the pedestrian bridge behind Veterans Park.

The disturbance took place just after 2 a.m. Sunday, May 18, after the two had an earlier run-in at The Library Bar on Main Street.

The victim, 27 years old, was flown directly from River Falls to Regions Hospital in St. Paul. His grave condition improved over several days and he was eventually released.

Robert D. Close was charged with multiple stabbings. The first-degree attempted homicide charge carries a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison; the aggravated battery charge has a maximum penalty of a $50,000 fine and 15 years in prison.

Close will appear in Pierce County Circuit Court in Ellsworth at 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, May 28.

He's being held on $50,000 cash bond in Dunn County Jail in Menomonie. Close was moved there because of overcrowding at the Pierce County Jail.

According to the criminal complaint, Close and the alleged victim, Ronald J. Drexl, nearly fought in The Library bar just before it closed. The exchange appears related to something Close insinuated about Drexl's wife.

Drexl and his wife were at the bar with another couple from River Falls.

After leaving the bar, Close waited for the two couples as they crossed the street and approached Veterans Park.

Drexl got ahead of the three people in his party, made eye contact with Close and met him near the center of the footbridge.

The two fought quickly, then separated. Close ran west across the bridge, Drexl walked east toward Veterans Park and the downtown.

No one realized that Drexl was stabbed with a knife.

It wasn't until Drexl, his wife and the other couple got back to their car on West Walnut Street that Drexl said he wasn't feeling or breathing well and was bleeding.

He took off his shirt and found "multiple stab wounds on his stomach, chest area and was bleeding really badly."

The complaint said Close, who now lives in Woodville, went to a friend's apartment in the 600 block of North Clark Street. He arrived "covered in blood."

He allegedly had a folded hunting knife with a 4-5-inch blade "covered in blood and 'body parts.'"

Close allegedly left the apartment for five minutes and came back saying he had gotten rid of the knife. He also cleaned himself up in the apartment bathroom.

The knife wasn't found but a blue-hooded sweatshirt that Close was wearing that night was later recovered from a trash bag in a garbage bin outside the River Falls apartment.

The male tenant at this apartment was later questioned by police. He said he was good friends with Close and apologized for not coming forward right away with information about what Close had done.

Officers collected more evidence from Close's parents' house in Woodville where he was arrested Sunday night -- later the same day as the stabbing. Among the evidence alleged seized near Close's bed were drug-related items.

Close's father came to River Falls to pick up his son early Sunday afternoon after Close had stayed the rest of the night following the stabbings at the Clark Street apartment.

A Regions Hospital doctor told River Falls police that Drexl's injuries were life threatening, that Drexl was in shock and required immediate surgery. The doctor said Drexl could have died if the surgery had been delayed by just a half hour.

Aside from a considerable loss of blood, the stabbings punctured Drexl's kidney.

In the complaint, Close told an acquaintance and later his parents that he'd been jumped by more than one person outside a bar and forced to defend himself.

The criminal case against Close is being prosecuted by Pierce County Assistant District Attorney William Thorie.

Contact Phil Pfuehler at rfjeditor@rivertowns.net or at 715.426.1050.

By Phil Pfuehler, RiverTown Staff

A 24-year-old former River Falls man has been charged by the Pierce County District Attorney with attempted first-degree intentional homicide and aggravated battery with a dangerous weapon.

The two felonies stem from the knifing of a Hudson man eight times on the pedestrian bridge behind Veterans Park.

The disturbance took place just after 2 a.m. Sunday, May 18, after the two had an earlier run-in at The Library Bar on Main Street.

The victim, 27 years old, was flown directly from River Falls to Regions Hospital in St. Paul. His grave condition improved over several days and he was eventually released.

Robert D. Close was charged with multiple stabbings. The first-degree attempted homicide charge carries a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison; the aggravated battery charge has a maximum penalty of a $50,000 fine and 15 years in prison.

Close will appear in Pierce County Circuit Court in Ellsworth at 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, May 28.

He's being held on $50,000 cash bond in Dunn County Jail in Menomonie. Close was moved there because of overcrowding at the Pierce County Jail.

According to the criminal complaint, Close and the alleged victim, Ronald J. Drexl, nearly fought in The Library bar just before it closed. The exchange appears related to something Close insinuated about Drexl's wife.

Drexl and his wife were at the bar with another couple from River Falls.

After leaving the bar, Close waited for the two couples as they crossed the street and approached Veterans Park.

Drexl got ahead of the three people in his party, made eye contact with Close and met him near the center of the footbridge.

The two fought quickly, then separated. Close ran west across the bridge, Drexl walked east toward Veterans Park and the downtown.

No one realized that Drexl was stabbed with a knife.

It wasn't until Drexl, his wife and the other couple got back to their car on West Walnut Street that Drexl said he wasn't feeling or breathing well and was bleeding.

He took off his shirt and found "multiple stab wounds on his stomach, chest area and was bleeding really badly."

The complaint said Close, who now lives in Woodville, went to a friend's apartment in the 600 block of North Clark Street. He arrived "covered in blood."

He allegedly had a folded hunting knife with a 4-5-inch blade "covered in blood and 'body parts.'"

Close allegedly left the apartment for five minutes and came back saying he had gotten rid of the knife. He also cleaned himself up in the apartment bathroom.

The knife wasn't found but a blue-hooded sweatshirt that Close was wearing that night was later recovered from a trash bag in a garbage bin outside the River Falls apartment.

The male tenant at this apartment was later questioned by police. He said he was good friends with Close and apologized for not coming forward right away with information about what Close had done.

Officers collected more evidence from Close's parents' house in Woodville where he was arrested Sunday night -- later the same day as the stabbing. Among the evidence alleged seized near Close's bed were drug-related items.

Close's father came to River Falls to pick up his son early Sunday afternoon after Close had stayed the rest of the night following the stabbings at the Clark Street apartment.

A Regions Hospital doctor told River Falls police that Drexl's injuries were life threatening, that Drexl was in shock and required immediate surgery. The doctor said Drexl could have died if the surgery had been delayed by just a half hour.

Aside from a considerable loss of blood, the stabbings punctured Drexl's kidney.

In the complaint, Close told an acquaintance and later his parents that he'd been jumped by more than one person outside a bar and forced to defend himself.

The criminal case against Close is being prosecuted by Pierce County Assistant District Attorney William Thorie.

Contact Phil Pfuehler at rfjeditor@rivertowns.net or at 715.426.1050.

The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Friday that dates have been set for the club's training camp at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

The Chiefs have called UW-River Falls their training camp home since 1991 and will return to Western Wisconsin for the 18th consecutive year in 2008.

The Chiefs will depart for River Falls on Thursday, July 24 with the first day of practice scheduled for Friday, July 25. Kansas City will hold a joint practice session with the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday, July 31 at UW-River Falls. Family Fun Night is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 2.

The Chiefs will open their 2008 preseason schedule with a contest at Chicago on Thursday, Aug. 7. The club is currently scheduled to break camp and return to Kansas City on Friday, Aug. 15.

More information on specific practice times, dates and policies for training camp will be announced at a later date. All dates and times are subject to change.