Austin man pleads not guilty to felony in fillet knife incident
Published 8:05 am Thursday, October 5, 2017
Duane Lee Ryks, 54, of Austin pleaded not guilty to felony domestic assault on Wednesday in Mower County District Court.
Duane Lee Ryks, 54
According to the court report, officers responded to a domestic assault call at 3:50 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 2, at Mayo Clinic Health System-Austin. They met with a woman who said Ryks “came at” her with a knife.
The woman said that she and Ryks had an argument before the incident. She said he asked her where his fillet knife was, and when she said she did not know, he shoved her into the dining room table. The force of the shove made her fall on the table. She complained of pain to her neck, right elbow, upper thigh and right hip.
Officers spoke to Ryks at his residence. He allegedly admitted he “went after” her with a knife, but said the argument was only verbal and that he told her he was going to “slit” his own throat. He also denied having the knife in his hand when they argued.
Ryks is scheduled to appear in court again on Oct. 12.
