A 59-year-old Kodiak man died after he was allegedly stabbed by a man who says the fatal injury was an accident.
On Sunday, the Kodiak Police Department responded to a reported stabbing at a Kodiak home along Ole Johnson Avenue. When officers arrived at the residence, they found Dennis Fathke on the floor, not breathing. First responders began CPR, and Fathke was taken to Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center and declared deceased, according to a statement from KPD.
Authorities spoke with 44-year-old Telia Tofelogo, who was inside the home when police responded. According to Tofelogo, he was “joking around” with Fathke, who was lying on a bed, leading up to the stabbing, KPD said.
“Tofelogo described how he and Fathke had been laughing at Tofelogo’s ‘ninja moves’ with a 12 inch curved knife,” the KPD statement says.
Tofelogo said he had his back to Fathke, and “when he spun around with the knife, not realizing Fathke had stood up, he stabbed him in the upper left arm,” according to the statement. An investigation revealed the knife pierced his left arm, continued into his chest and punctured his left lung.
When Tofelogo realized he had stabbed the 59-year-old, he says he pulled the knife out and called 911, KPD said.
Tofelogo was arrested and charged with manslaughter and first-degree assault, both of which are felonies. The police department declined to comment further on the case, citing an ongoing investigation.