Charges: N. Minnesota man stabbed, bound, nearly run over by 2 attackers

A northern Minnesota man was stabbed in the throat, bound and almost run over by two attackers late at night, according to felony charges against a teenager and a young man.

Sheldon J. Armstrong III, 22, of Cass Lake, Minn., and Travis R. Paquette, 18, of Bemidji, Minn., were charged Monday in Cass County District with first-degree attempted murder, kidnapping, second-degree assault and auto theft.

According to the complaint:

Sheriff's deputies met up with a man covered in blood about 2:45 a.m. Friday at a home in Cass Lake. He said two people stabbed him numerous times.

The man said he knew Armstrong from Facebook and had met him a few times.

He said the assault occurred after he had driven to a Cass Lake gas station, at Armstrong's request, to meet up with him. He met Armstrong and Paquette, believed to be brothers, and drove them to "a rural location" where Armstrong said he was making a marijuana buy.

As the three walked down a trail, Armstrong tackled the victim and Paquette stabbed him in the throat.

They stopped, placed the man in the middle of the road and raced toward him, but he rolled out of the way and fled into the woods to a home, where he met sheriff's deputies and was taken to a hospital.

Authorities found the pickup after it was driven off a road near Cass Lake. Paquette was arrested about two blocks away while walking from the vehicle. Armstrong was located and arrested at a home nearby.

Both suspects remained jailed in lieu of $75,000, with a court appearance scheduled for Aug. 11.