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Show Tragic Stabbing Dampens Halloween Revellery Halloween's make-believe terror became frighteningly real Saturday night when an argument at the Alamo bar flashed violently out of control. Gregory Hablitzel, suffering from multiple stab wounds to the chest, was taken by ambulance to the Salt Lake Veteran's Hospital. Hablitzel, (known to most of Park City as "Crazy), was reported Monday to be still under intensive care, but in satisfactory condition and improving. A doctor in charge described the injury as "a major chest wound," and said implications could have been extremely grave. The assailant's knife apparently penetrated Hablitzel's chest just below the heart. Officer Offret and Sergeant Crowley arrived at 12:35 a.m. and immediately placed Robert M. Hollander, Jr., whom witnesses identified as the assailant, under arrest. The suspect was taken before Justice Jim Kilby, where bail was set at $10,000. He was then removed to the county jail in Coalville, and booked for aggravated assault. The charge is a third degree felony, punishable by five years in jail andor a $5,000 fine. Hollander, a former resident of California, was released Monday evening on bond. He maintains that his actions were provoked and he acted in self-defense. Witnesses reported that the argument began inside the Alamo, and grew worse until Hollander, Hablitzel, and a friend crashed out the doc onto the sidewalk, where several punches were thrown. "A knife flashed," said an eye witness, "and he stabbed Crazy twice in the chest." Another witness maintained that Crazy had turned and stumbled over the fender of a parked car when the blows were delivered. The unnamed companion said he ran back into the Club the moment he saw the knife. A bartender in the Alamo that night said that earlier Hollander had deposited the knife behind the bar for safekeeping, but grabbed it when provoked by Hablitzel and his companion. He described the knife as "bigger than a hunting knife." Police Chief Garth Wilkinson said he is thoroughly investigating the matter, and plans to interview as many eye witnesses as he can contact. |