Mental exam to be requested in case of knife wielding man

A man armed with a knife who tried to break into an apartment and threatened to stab the occupants appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court/Criminal Division January 5.

Sixty-eight-year-old James Hilinski who is charged with criminal attempt to commit breaking or entering and refusal to submit to arrest pled not guilty to the charges during an earlier court session.

Hilinski’s attorney said he intended to file a motion asking that his client be given a psychological evaluation. Hilinski was ordered to reappear January 26.

On July 12, a Mountain Home police officer responded to a call of an active break-in at a local apartment complex. The suspect was reported to be armed with a knife.

The occupants of the unit told police Hilinski was standing outside their door talking to himself and to unseen people.
Hilinski is reported to have threatened to break the lock on the door and stab the first people he saw.

A neighbor attempted to get Hilinski to leave the victims alone, but Hilinski responded with a threat to stab the neighbor.
Hilinski was reported to have had a “pouch on the front of his belt appearing to be a knife sheath.”

When he was told to turn around and put his hands on the wall after police arrived, Hilinski complied and a knife was turned over but his cooperation did not last.

He is reported to have started pulling away from the officer and reaching down to the waistline of his pants.
Because the officer did not know if Hilinski had additional weapons, he took the suspect to the ground.

In the struggle, Hilinski’s head hit a concrete area causing a laceration. The officer reported applying a bandage to Hilinski’s head and called for medical services.

Hilinski was taken to Baxter Health for treatment.

He is currently an inmate at the Baxter County Detention Center with bond set at $5,000.

WebReady^TM Powered by WireReady^® NSI