Roommate dispute ends in machete chase
Larry Skeen attacked his roommate when his roommate attempted to remove his things from the apartment.
Published Oct. 5, 2010
Columbia resident Larry Skeen is being charged on suspicion of chasing his former roommate out of their apartment with a machete Tuesday.
Skeen is being charged with second-degree domestic assault, armed criminal action, felony resisting arrest, third degree assault and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Skeen and his roommate had not been getting along in what the victim described as increasing hostility between himself and Skeen, according to a Columbia Police Department news release. Skeen attacked his roommate when the victim attempted to move some of his belongings out of the apartment.
“According to the victim, this particular incident was a continuation of an earlier argument that occurred in the early morning hours of the same day over the suspect refusing to share a bowl of marijuana with the victim,” Columbia Police Department spokeswoman Jill Wieneke said in an e-mail.
After the first altercation, officers convinced the victim to gather some of his belongings and stay at a friend’s house for the night in order to calm the situation. When the victim came back with a friend to get the rest of his things, Skeen chased him with a machete, Wieneke said. The victim was not injured.
“He took a friend with him and went back to retrieve the items, but when he knocked on the door Skeen answered and began screaming at him and rushed at him with the sword,” Wieneke said.
The victim and his friend left and called police. When police arrived on the scene, they determined who the victim was and found Skeen to be uncooperative.
Wieneke said Skeen told officers that people were taking things from his home and that he no longer needed help. Skeen also resisted the officers when they tried speaking to him and arresting him.
“They interviewed the victim and his friend, but Skeen was intoxicated and belligerent and would not talk to police," Wieneke said. "Skeen was arrested after a brief struggle with officers."
The news release stated Skeen had cuts on his face from the struggle with the officers.
“It’s not everyday we arrest someone for threatening someone with a machete, but domestic violence cases are often some of the most violent,” Wieneke said.