CCSO: Argument leads to stabbing outside Golden Gate Estates apartment

An argument among three men led to a stabbing Thursday night in the driveway of a Golden Gate Estates apartment, authorities say.

Santiago Joaquin Bartolon-Lopez, 22, of 1701 41st S.W., was arrested at NCH Baker Hospital Downtown on a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, according to Collier County Sheriff's Office arrest reports.

He stabbed one of the men he was fighting with, Fernando Mendez, no age available, with a kitchen knife in the driveway of his apartment, the report states. 

Mendez was initially treated for injuries at Physicians Regional at Pine Ridge and was transferred to NCH Baker hospital. The arrest report does not state where on his body he was stabbed.

The defendant was arrested at NCH because he was being treated for injuries after being hit with a stick by the men involved in the fight, the arrest report said.

Collier deputies were called to the apartment building where they found Mendez sitting on a bucket in the driveway where the fight took place. He was bleeding from his face, neck and stomach, according to reports.

A witness said Bartolon-Lopez, Mendez and a third man identified as Jaime Ortega, no age available, were having an argument. Ortega and Mendez were hitting Bartolon-Lopez with sticks. Bartolon-Lopez and Mendez do not get along, the witness told deputies.

At one point during the argument, Bartolon-Lopez and Mendez decided to stop fighting. Bartolon-Lopez told Mendez to give him a hug, according to reports. As Bartolon-Lopez leaned in to give Mendez a hug, Bartolon-Lopez hit Mendez on the left side of his head with a beer bottle. The beer bottle broke and caused Mendez’s head to start bleeding, the report says.

Bartolon-Lopez entered his apartment and emerged carrying two kitchen knives, one in each hand, and initially went running after Ortega with the knives when Ortega fell to the ground, the report states.

Mendez attacked Bartolon-Lopez with a large stick or pole and yelled at Bartolon-Lopez to drop the knives and began hitting him with the pole, which broke. Bartolon-Lopez dropped one of the knives and began to run away with Mendez chasing after him.

Ortega ran inside his apartment, and told deputies he did not know when Bartolon-Lopez stabbed Mendez. At the hospital, Mendez told deputies that Bartolon-Lopez stabbed him during an argument, according to the arrest report.

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