A witness for the defense of a Louisiana man accused of stabbing a co-worker at a Bruin job site contradicted the victim’s testimony at a Tuesday, May 12, preliminary hearing.

Byron Keith Laxey Jr., 31, of Lafayette, La., was accused of stabbing Christian Kinney twice while the two worked for Strickland Oil Company on a Laurel Mountain job site on March 18 in Bruin.

He was charged March 18 with felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor simple assault.

Kinney testified he had stepped away to call his wife and came back when he heard a commotion from an employee trying to fix an airline that froze. He said it was early in the morning and still dark outside.

Kinney said during the commotion, an employee ran over to him and said Laxey, their supervisor, was riled up.

When they went to Laxey, Kinney alleged Laxey rushed at him.

“His face literally touched my face,” Kinney said.

Kinney said he then felt a stabbing pain in his ribs. He said Laxey then backed up, lunged at him and Kinney felt a second stabbing pain.

Kinney said he yelled for his co-workers to call 911 and saw Laxey holding a knife. He then got in the truck and drove to the bottom of the hill to wait for an ambulance.

Kinney sustained a collapsed lung and multiple lacerations, he said. He was flown by Stat MedEvac to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital.

After Kinney’s testimony, defense attorney Shelley Duff, with Shrager Defense Attorneys, called co-worker Adam Matthews, who witnessed the incident, to testify.

Matthews said the incident began with an argument over how to fix the frozen airline. He said Laxey pushed Kinney, then Kinney struck Laxey.

Matthews said Laxey was using a knife to open a package around the time of the incident, but he didn’t see Laxey make any motion toward Kinney with the knife. He added Laxey called 911 after the incident.

Duff argued the assault must be intentional for charges of aggravated and simple assault and said Matthews was the most credible witness.

Assistant district attorney Robert Zanella countered that Kinney was still stabbed and saw Laxey with a knife. He claimed there was not another plausible explanation for Kinney’s injuries.

District Judge Lewis Stoughton held all charges for court.

Laxey’s formal arraignment is scheduled for 1 p.m. June 30 in Butler County Common Pleas Courtroom 2.