A Texas man who was apparently passing through Texas County faces a pair of felony charges after allegedly punching a woman and trying to attack a second person Friday night in Licking at business parking lot, authorities said.
Francisco J. Flores Jr., 28, of Port Lavaca, Texas, is charged with second-degree domestic assault (a class D felony) and unlawful use of a weapon (a class E felony).
According to a Licking Police Department officer’s report, a cell phone call came at about 11:35 p.m. reporting the crime.
Upon arrival, the officer made contact with a 59-year-old woman and a 57-year-old man, who said Flores had assaulted his girlfriend, 24,  and pulled a knife on the man. The officer visited with Flores and asked if he was carrying any weapons, and he said he wasn’t.
At that moment, Flores reportedly fell to the ground with apparent seizure and then stated he did have a knife in his pants pocket. One was seized as evidence, and no other weapons were found.
An ambulance arrived to tend to Flores, and while offering assistance the officer noticed that the girlfriend had a cut behind her ear that was actively bleeding. She reportedly told the officer the group had been traveling from Texas to Illinois, and she had been walking toward the gas station when Flores – her boyfriend – came up behind her and punched her. The older man stated that when he was helping the woman who had been punched, Flores took a swing at him, but he blocked it. He reportedly said Flores then produced a knife, brandished it and tried to slash him with it.
Flores was taken to the Texas County Jail. His bond is set at $150,000.