Staff Writer

Two men were arrested Thursday after an altercation that led to one of them being stabbed.

Dennis Dale Willard Jr., 20, of 280 Wilson Road, was charged by the Union County Sheriff's Office with assault and battery with intent to kill. His bond was denied by a county magistrate.

Brandon Rhett Simpson, 44, of 955 Stevenson Road, Abbeville, was charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature. He has been released on bond.

According to a report, Sgt. Dee Haney was dispatched to Willard's home around 11 p.m. Thursday after a stabbing was reported.

Willard told her that Simpson had tried to push his way into his home and he had stabbed him in self defense. Willard also said Simpson came at him with a pole from a wooded area beside the house.

Haney went to Wallace Thomson Hospital emergency room to talk with Simpson while Cpl. Scott Ruby and Deputy Thom McAbee remained at the stabbing scene.

Simpson said Willard had been calling him and sending him text messages trying to provoke him into a fight and had thrown bricks at cars in his yard. Simpson said he went to Wilson Road to talk with Willard and a fight began. Simpson was stabbed three times in the back with a kitchen knife.

Deputies collected a white shoe, a white T-shirt and a knife handle at the scene.