Staff Writer

ONEONTA — A Hartwick College sophomore accused of attacking a fellow student with two steak knives is being held in Otsego County jail on $50,000 bail and has been suspended from school.

Nineteen-year-old Damien Charlton, who was charged with first-degree assault and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, was arraigned Monday morning before acting City Court Judge William Atchinson Jr.

He is due back in court Wednesday morning for a possible felony hearing, court officials said.

Charlton, a starter on the Hartwick soccer team, allegedly stabbed senior Mathew Mlinar five times in the back Sunday during a 3 a.m. argument in front of the Town House Apartments on campus, where both students live.

Mlinar was discharged Monday morning from A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital, hospital officials said.

According to police statements by Charlton, Mlinar and other witnesses, Charlton was thrown out of Today's Lounge some time after midnight by Mlinar, who works as a bouncer at the Market Street tavern.

Witnesses said Mlinar kicked Charlton out of the bar after Charlton's ex-girlfriend approached Mlinar and said Charlton was bothering her.

Police said Charlton told them he is able to enter Today's despite being underage because he knows the bouncers. Police added that Charlton had been drinking that night.

Today's owner John Purcell declined to comment Monday night.

According to court documents, the fight began after Charlton returned to campus and telephoned Mlinar's apartment, asking him to step outside to discuss what happened at Today's.

Roommates of both Charlton and Mlinar told police they saw the two students push and strike each other. But none of them, including Mlinar, swears in his statement that they actually saw Charlton stab Mlinar.

In fact, Mlinar, in his statement, said he didn't realize he had been stabbed until after the fight.

"I was standing there and Damien punched me several times in my back and then he left and ran into his room," Mlinar said. "It was soon after that I noticed I was stabbed in my back."

Charles E. Jenkins III, one of Charlton's roommates, said he saw Charlton with two steak knives that he recognized as his own.

"I can't believe you did that," Jenkins said he told Charlton, who, Jenkins recalled, had blood on his hands and on his shirt and a foot.

Jeffrey P. Moyer, one of Mlinar's roommates, said he was in Charlton's apartment right after the fight and saw Charlton "pacing back and forth in the living room waving two knives around."

"Damien put the knives into the waistband of his pants and came over to talk to me," Moyer told police. "He was fired up and put his hand on my shoulder and left a bloody handprint on my shirt."

Moyer said he then saw Charlton raise his shirt, exposing two knives.

In his own statement, Charlton denied having anything to do with the stabbing and said it must have been committed by an "outsider."

Police described Charlton and Mlinar as acquaintances.

Oneonta lawyer Robert Gouldin is serving as Charlton's attorney.

Charlton is a defensive starter for the school's division I soccer team. Mlinar is a kicker on the football team.

A phone call Monday to soccer coach Jim Lennox was not returned and Hartwick football coach Mark Carr declined comment. A message left with Hartwick College Athletics Director Kenneth Kutler was also not returned.

In addition to facing criminal charges, Charlton must answer to the college's judicial review of the incident, said Robert Clark, director of communications.

"He can't come to campus for the balance of the semester, or not at all, depending on the outcome of the internal proceedings," said Clark. "It's an isolated incident, fortunately, but this is something we take very seriously."

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Jill Fahy can be reached at jfahy@thedailystar.com or (607) 441-7221.