The Seward County Sheriff's Department continues to investigate a stabbing that occurred around 1 a.m. Jan. 1 at a residence at 745 Indiana Street in Utica.
Authorities say a fight that started in the basement of a Utica home escalated and moved to the front yard when one man was stabbed twice in the back.
The victim of the New Year's Day stabbing in Utica has been identified by the Seward County Sheriff's Office as Stephen D. Jones, 39, of Lincoln.
At 1:10 a.m. Jan. 1, the Seward County Communications Center received a 911 call that a stabbing had occurred at 745 Indiana St. in Utica, where a man had been stabbed in the upper back.
Deputies arrived on scene and immediately apprehended Donald K. Polcyn Jr., 27, of Utica.
Before deputies arrived, Utica Fire and Rescue responded and transported Jones to Seward Memorial Hospital where he was later pronounced dead as a result of the stabbing.
Polcyn Jr. was arrested and booked into the Seward County Detention Center on murder in the second degree and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, though no charges had been formally filed by the Seward County Attorney as of Jan. 6.
According to an application for a search warrant from Seward County Sheriff’s Investigator Lisa Borges and written statements from eyewitnesses, the incident began with a verbal altercation between Jones and Polcyn in the basement of the house.
Jones walked up the stairs into the attached garage, with Polcyn following. Jones then began physically assaulting Polcyn’s brother, and Polcyn attempted to break up the fight, leading to a physical altercation between Jones and Polcyn, who used a pool cue to push Jones away.
The fight then moved to the front yard. Polcyn walked into the house and returned to find his brother and Jones engaged in a physical fight. Polcyn’s wife attempted to break up the fight and saw a knife in Polcyn’s hand.
Jones was stabbed twice in the upper right side of his back.
An investigation is being handled by the Seward County Sheriff’s Office and is still ongoing.
