Freeland beach party ends with man knifed

What began as a friendly beach party Friday night near Freeland sent one man to Harborview Medical Center with five stab wounds and sent another to jail.

According to Island County Sheriff Mike Hawley, deputies were called to a beach party off Tara Drive at 11:39 p.m. They found Jonathan Thomas Richardson, 23, of Langley, had been stabbed five times.

Richardson was flown to Harborview Medical Center early Saturday morning and placed in the intensive care unit. A hospital spokesman said Monday that Richardson was in good condition and had been moved out of ICU. Richardson's father, Randy Richardson of Langley, said he expected his son to be released from the hospital in the next few days.

Deputies arrested Jeffrey Brian Vogt, 25, of Clinton, on a charge of assault. He was being held in the Island County jail Tuesday on $100,000 bond.

Hawley said the incident happened this way: About a dozen people were attending the beach bonfire when Vogt and Richardson had an argument. Witnesses said Vogt and Richardson stepped away from the crowd, Vogt produced a knife and stabbed Richardson five times.

Richardson suffered three stab wounds to the chest, one to the left thigh and one to the right temple.

The sheriff said the knife used in the stabbing has not been recovered. He said a witness grabbed the knife and threw it as far he could after the incident to avoid any further injury. According to Hawley, deputies searched the beach with metal detectors Saturday but were unsuccessful.

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