Trial set in alleged machete assault

The trial for a Moses Lake man accused of assaulting and threatening his housemate with a machete over a cellphone is scheduled for April 7.

Andres Espino Jr., 38, was charged Feb. 4 with first-degree robbery, second-degree assault with a deadly weapon, felony harassment-threat to kill and domestic violence felony violation of a court order for the Jan. 31 incident. He pleaded not guilty Feb. 22.

Moses Lake police responded at 9:01 a.m. to a home in the 2000 block of West Peninsula Drive for an assault called in by the victim’s sister, records stated. The victim told police he was inside the home when Espino and a woman, who had a no-contact order against Espino, were arguing. To get away, the man said he locked himself inside his room and called his sister.

Espino kicked in the man’s bedroom door with a machete in his right hand and raised it above his head, demanding the man give him the woman’s cellphone. However, the man said he didn’t have the phone, records stated.

Espino placed the sharp machete edge at the man’s throat and told him he was going to kill him if he didn’t give him the phone. However, the man pushed away Espino’s arm with the weapon and the two got into a fight. The woman claimed she tried to break it up, but might have accidentally kicked the man.

Espino ran out of the room and grabbed an ax near the kitchen before fleeing the home. The man took a chair from the dining room to defend himself and chased Espino, but couldn’t find him outside, records stated.

As of Wednesday, Espino was in the Grant County Jail with a $60,000 bond.