JEFFERSON, Iowa — A Paton man was arrested Tuesday after allegedly stabbing a man and setting his house on fire, according to a statement released by the Greene County Sheriff’s office.
Devin Christopher Hackfort, 28, of Paton was charged with attempted murder, first-degree harassment, second-degree arson and two counts of assault on persons in certain occupations.
The incident began about 2:15 p.m. Tuesday, when Greene County Deputy Sheriffs responded to a call from the victim of a stabbing in the 300 block of State Street in Paton.
The victim told the deputies he was en route to the Greene County Medical Center in Jefferson. Once at the hospital, the victim received a phone call from Hackfort, who allegedly told the victim “that he was going to start the house on fire,” according to the statement.
Deputies arrived at the State Street residence about 2:30 p.m., and “the house was on fire,” according to the statement.
Law enforcement later located Hackfort on Iowa Highway 144 south of Dana, but he “attempted to elude law enforcement” and “left the scene,” according to the sheriff’s statement. He was later arrested at the scene of the crime on State Street in Paton.
Hackfort is held in the Greene County Jail in Jefferson.
Hackfort was convicted of domestic abuse assault-impeding flow of air/blood and first-offense domestic abuse assault with intent to inflict serious injury in 2021 in Polk County District Court. He was convicted of assault on persons in certain occupations in 2023 in Greene County District Court.
*A criminal charge is merely an accusation, the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
