Pocatello Man Charged With Felony Aggravated Battery After Attacking Two at Idaho Group Home With Screwdriver and Saucepan, Police Say
A 22-year-old Pocatello man faces two counts of felony aggravated battery after police say he attacked two people at a local group home with a flathead screwdriver and a metal saucepan on April 22, leaving one victim bleeding profusely from a significant head wound.
Marqeden Miles England, of Pocatello, was arrested and transported to the Bannock County Jail following the violent incident at a residence on Kurtwood Drive, according to police and court records obtained by the Idaho State Journal. England lives at the facility as a client of the Adult and Child Development Center, an in-home care facility.
What Police Found at the Scene
Officers were dispatched to the Kurtwood Drive residence around 4:30 p.m. after a roommate called to report that England was attempting to stab people with a flathead screwdriver and that someone had been stabbed in the head. Upon arrival, officers found an older man on the front lawn bleeding heavily from a serious head injury while another person applied pressure to the wound with a cloth, police said. The injured man told officers he wished to pursue charges against England.
England was still inside the residence when officers arrived. He eventually exited through the front door, at which point officers drew their firearms and ordered him to the ground. England complied and was placed in handcuffs. Police noted that his hands, arms, hair, and shirt were visibly covered in blood.
The metal saucepan and flathead screwdriver were later recovered from England’s room closet. Both items had blood and hair on them, according to police.
England’s Account and Witness Corroboration
England told officers the incident stemmed from a longstanding dispute with a caretaker at the facility. England alleged the caretaker had been distributing marijuana to other residents over the past year and that he had previously warned the man against returning. According to the police report, England said that on the day of the incident, he heard the caretaker advising another resident on how to obtain a medical marijuana card, which prompted him to confront the caretaker while armed with the pot and screwdriver.
England told police the caretaker “freaked out,” at which point he struck the caretaker in the face with the saucepan. A second man then intervened, punched England in the nose, and pushed him outside — at which point England said he began stabbing the second man repeatedly in the head with the screwdriver and striking him with the pot.
A staff member who witnessed the incident largely corroborated England’s account, telling officers that England came out of his room with both items and struck the caretaker in the head with the saucepan before turning on the second man who had tried to intervene. A separate resident who had been outside heard the commotion and also witnessed England striking the second man with the pan and screwdriver.
The second victim told police he attempted to remove the pan from England to protect the caretaker and that “everything blacked out” after he was struck. He said he remembered nothing after the first blow. Officers photographed his bandaged head wound and bloodied hands, as well as the caretaker’s head injury.
Violent incidents at residential care facilities underscore the challenges facing adult care providers across Southeast Idaho. For more on public safety developments in Bannock County, see our recent coverage of a Pocatello man sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for child pornography and a Pocatello pair arrested on felony theft charges after a homeowner caught them raiding his trailer twice in a single night.
Charges, Bond, and Potential Penalties
England appeared before 6th District Magistrate Judge Adam Strong for an arraignment hearing on April 23, where his bond was set at $20,000. He is scheduled to return to court on May 5 for a preliminary hearing, at which prosecutors will attempt to present sufficient evidence to elevate the case from magistrate to district court for trial.
If convicted of both felony aggravated battery charges, England faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000 on each count. Prosecutors are also seeking a deadly weapon enhancement, which could extend any sentence imposed by an additional 15 years per count — meaning England’s total potential exposure is substantial.
What Comes Next
England’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 5 in Bannock County. At that proceeding, prosecutors must present enough evidence to convince the magistrate court that probable cause exists to bind the case over to district court for a full trial. If the case is elevated, England will face arraignment on the felony charges at the district court level. Bannock County News will continue to monitor this case as it moves through Idaho’s court system.