Man pulls knife on student near campus

A 36-year-old man was arrested early Monday morning after trying to stab a student on the campus-end of State Street.

Richard L. Wasley, faces tentative charges of first-degree reckless endangerment, carrying concealed weapon, disorderly conduct while armed and bail jumping.

Wasley approached the victim, a 23-year-old student, around 12:35 a.m. on the 700 block of State Street, Madison Police Department Public Information Officer Joel DeSpain said in an incident report.

The victim was carrying things to his dorm, DeSpain said, including a comforter. When Wasley tried to stab him, he used the comforter to protect himself.

“The victim believes he would have been hit in the head or upper torso save for the fact he used the quilt to shield himself from the weapon, “DeSpain said. “It likely saved him from serious injury.”

He was then able to flee to a nearby convenience store and call police. Officers arrested Wasley shortly after, near the state Capitol.

“It’s the scariest thing in my whole life,” the student told officers.