Spitting leads to felony charges at jail

An alleged stabbing and two spitting incidents lead to numerous felony charges.

Keith Allen Rhodes, 40, of Rock Springs, appeared in the Third District Court of Judge Nena James at an arraignment to five felonies, two counts of aggravated assault and battery, interference with a peace officer and two counts of aggravated assault and battery on a detention officer. A jury trial has been scheduled to take place May 2 at 9 a.m.

The two aggravated assault and battery on a detention officer charges stem from Rhodes allegedly spitting on them when he knew he had Hepatitis C.

If found guilty of all five felonies, Rhodes could serve a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison and a maximum fine of $40,000.

According to court documents, on Nov. 24, 2015, at about 3:20 a.m. Rock Springs Police officers responded to a stabbing report. Upon arrival, officers found Benny Fajardo on the ground with a stab wound on the left side of his torso. Fajardo informed the officers that Rhodes was the one who allegedly stabbed him and Rhodes ran away. Fajardo was transported to the Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County.

Officers spoke with Cynthia Dunn said she had been dating Fajardo, but broke up with him two weeks prior to date Rhodes.

Officers located Rhodes and started placing him under arrest. At first, Rhodes was cooperative, but then he started acting belligerently toward the officers. Rhodes started moving around and allegedly head butted one of the officers. This officer had a red mark on his head where Rhodes allegedly struck him.

On the way to the Sweetwater County Detention Center, Rhodes asked where the camera was and allegedly admitted to stabbing Fajardo.

When Rhodes arrived at the detention center, he continued to act belligerently throughout the booking process. Two RSPD officers assisted Sweetwater County Detention deputies on putting Rhodes in a cell, he spat in one of the officer’s and one of the deputy’s faces and yelled “Take that (expletive) Hep. C.” The deputy was concerned because some of the spit went into his eye.

Both the deputy and the officer agreed Rhodes purposely spat at them in an attempt to cause them bodily injury by exposing them to Hepatitis C. As soon as Rhodes was in the cell, both the officer and deputy went to the hospital for treatment of an infectious disease.

Officers later spoke with Farjardo at the hospital he told the officers he was at Dunn’s house. He said he was drinking some alcohol and had noticed Dunn was acting strange. Shortly thereafter, Rhodes burst into the home with a hunting knife and told Farjardo to leave because he was Dunn’s new boyfriend and that he had been replaced. Farjardo said he told Rhodes he was going to get a few things packed up first, but Rhodes started swinging the knife at him. They struggled over the knife; and hit each other. Farjardo said he was able to escape after he punched Rhodes in the face.

Farjardo was outside when Rhodes allegedly came after him with a kitchen knife. They struggled again, and Farjardo fell and hit his face against his car tire. He saw Rhodes coming at him with the knife and tried to move, but Rhodes allegedly stabbed him in near the left hip. Fajardo told Rhodes he was going to call the police and Rhodes ran away.