KIMBALL – A 20-year-old Kimball man has been charged with attempted murder for allegedly stabbing a friend in the neck during a disagreement over the weekend.

The Kimball Police Department said Douglas C. Richards was drinking with his friend John Harden early Saturday morning when the two began to argue over an incident that occurred four years ago. Richards allegedly pulled a knife from his pants pocket and threatened to kill Harden before stabbing him in the right side of the neck.

Harden ran from the residence and was taken by his father to Kimball Health Services, which reported the alleged stabbing to local authorities.

A case affidavit states that when police contacted Richards, he refused to comply with their requests to step outside the house and lay on the ground. When Richards reached into his pants pocket despite police warning, he was Tasered and taken into custody.

Richards is charged with a Class II felony count of second-degree attempted murder and a Class II felony count of using a lethal weapon to commit a felony. A preliminary hearing in Kimball County Court has been scheduled for April 13 at 2:30 p.m.

The mandatory minimum sentence on a Class II felony is three years, the maximum is 50 years.

On Wednesday, Richards remained in the custody of Kimball authorities. His bond was set at $500,000.