Sanchez-Lewis bound over to circuit court
Octavyous Sanchez-Lewis and one of his lawyers sit through the preliminary examination in the Isabella County Courthouse on Tuesday, May 19. (Screenshot of the YouTube Live streaming)
Central Michigan University freshman Octayvious Sanchez-Lewis, who is accused of stabbing three men Feb. 22 at Wayside Central, was bound over to Isabella County Circuit Court following the conclusion of his preliminary exam.
Sanchez-Lewis, 19, of Farmington Hills, is charged with three counts of assault with the intent to murder. The preliminary examination began on March 12 and ended on May 19 with Judge Spencer-Noggle presiding over the court. The case is now headed to Circuit Judge Mark H. Duthie.
CMU students John Sage and Charles Sims, two of the three men injured in the fight, testified in court May 19 with differing accounts of the night in question.
Roommates, and fraternity brothers, Sage and Sims arrived at Wayside together. Both were involved in an altercation on the dance floor. Sage told the court he saw his friend engaged in an altercation with another man and quickly maneuvered through the crowd toward the argument. Sage threw a punch at the person arguing with Sims and was stabbed in the stomach, exposing his intestine through the wound.
Sims was stabbed in his scrotum and groin area. He told the court that he was not pushed and Sims does not know who threw the punch during the fight.
John Sage, dressed in black T-shirt and Adidas baseball hat, is shown being assisted by Wayside staff after being stabbed on Saturday, Feb 22. (Screenshot of surveillance video shown in court Tuesday, May 19)
Video surveillance footage from Wayside on Feb. 22 captured the altercation the dance floor that resulted in the stabbing of the three men was shown as evidence in the court room. Another surveillance video showed Sage collapsing as he held his stomach while Wayside staff attended to him.
Defense attorneys focused on discrepancies in the witness accounts. Although Sage claimed he was "buzzed" not intoxicated, during the incident and that Sims went to the Wayside after getting out of work. McLaren Central Michigan Emergency Medical Physician James Inman described in earlier testimony that Sage was slurring his words and was intoxicated. Sims testified he was not working and was drinking and doing shots before the altercation.
Defense attorneys also raised the issue that it was Sanchez-Lewis who was assaulted by the men and was forced to defend himself after being punched.
Octavyous Sanchez-Lewis, in a white hoodie) is being talked to by Wayside staff on Saturday, Feb. 22. (Screenshot of surveillance video shown in court Tuesday, May 19)
Spencer-Noggle presented a detailed summary of the case while closing the hearing, quoting Inman who testified as a witness on March 12.
"Dr. Inman testified that Mr. Sage's injury was life threatening and that he did not believe Mr. Sage would survive the treatment of the surgery," Spencer-Noggle stated. "Dr. Inman did not see external bleeding, but expected Mr. Sage was bleeding internally due to the nature of the injury and suspected Mr. Sage was intoxicated when he arrived at the hospital."
The other man injured in the fight, Terren Howard, had reportedly arrived at Wayside with Sanchez-Lewis and was stabbed on the wrist.
On March 12, MidMichigan Health Emergency Room Physician Larissa Trail testified that she treated Sims and Howard on Feb. 22 and 23.
"Dr. Trail testified that Mr. Sims was treated for two stab wounds, one to the right posterior thigh and one to the genitalia," Spencer-Noggle said. "Mr. Sims' injury to his thigh was potentially life threatening due to the risk or bleeding, hemorrhage, secondary infection and compartment syndrome."
