New trial date set in stabbing case

UPDATE: The prosecution dismissed the case without prejudice on Jan. 30, meaning it could be re-filed at a later date, court records show.

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Jurors last week failed to reach a verdict on a felony assault charge against a Ridgefield man accused of stabbing another man in the neck with a kitchen knife during an altercation in August 2016.

Thomas Quant, 50, was back in Clark County Superior Court on Thursday to set a new trial date on a charge of second-degree domestic violence assault with a deadly weapon. He will be retried on the charge Nov. 13.

That charge had resulted in a hung jury Sept. 22 following Quant’s nearly weeklong trial. He was acquitted of another charge of fourth-degree domestic violence assault, a gross misdemeanor, related to a different alleged victim.

Quant’s defense attorney, Neil Cane, said in an interview Thursday that his client argued self-defense during the trial. He said that Quant testified about his poor physical health and how the alleged victim, Justin Hobbs, was intoxicated and rushed at him.

Ridgefield police responded at about 2:45 a.m. Aug. 24 to 310 Simons St., and found a man, identified as Justin Hobbs, then 35, with a stab wound to his “upper throat area,” according to a probable cause affidavit.

Hobbs and Quant, who both lived at the residence, were arguing when family members attempted to intervene, police said. Quant said Hobbs “came at him” so he used the knife to defend himself, the affidavit states.

Quant fled before police arrived and was located by a police dog a couple blocks away from his residence, court records said.