Man accused of threatening to stab Renton bartender pleads not guilty

Carlos Perez pled not guilty at an arraignment this week for reportedly threatening to stab a Renton bartender earlier this month. A judge ordered him held on $3,000 bail, agreeing with prosecutors that he posed a significant risk to the community.

The bartender said he asked Perez to leave because he was drinking alcohol from an open container outside the premises and aggressively soliciting money from people walking by. When he told Perez to leave the property, Perez got verbally and physically aggressive with him. Perez eventually pulled a knife out of his pocket and threatened the bartender, saying “I’ll put a hole in your six stomach,” according to court records and the bartender’s police statement.

58-year-old baseball umpire charged with sexual abuse of a minor

The bartender immediately went back inside where two women customers, who were scared for their lives, ran and hid in the bathroom. The bartender grabbed a bat he kept behind the bar and called 911.

Police said Perez denied pulling a knife, but according to security camera footage, Perez was seen holding two knives as he moved toward the bar.

“This level of escalation for this type of situation shows a level of disregard on the defendant’s part,” prosecutors argued, noting they believed he presented a substantial risk of committing a future violent offense.

Prosecutors also argued Perez was unlikely to show up for court if released on his own recognizance as he had just moved to the area from Texas six months earlier and had no ties to the area and no place to live.

Follow Hanna Scott on Twitter or email her here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/HannaKIROFM