A 22-year-old Battle Ground man pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity Tuesday in Clark County Superior Court, about 10 months after he was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
The delay in the prosecution’s case against Colin Dixon stemmed from requests for a competency evaluation. Court records show he spent nearly four months at Western State Hospital before being discharged and returned to custody at the Clark County Jail.
Dixon faces a charge of attempted first-degree murder, as well as three counts of second-degree assault. All of the allegations are domestic violence-related.
He appeared in court Tuesday wearing an orange jumpsuit. He did not speak during the hearing.
Dixon was arrested for an alleged assault Jan. 17 at his family’s Battle Ground home. Officers responded to a call about a stabbing at 12:47 a.m. at a residence in the 1200 block of North Parkway Avenue, according to the city of Battle Ground. A family member, who police said was a minor, told officers her brother stabbed her father.
The officers entered the home and found Christian Dixon suffering from stab wounds.
Colin Dixon allegedly attacked his father, who was sleeping on a couch, with a knife. Christian Dixon was severely cut on his neck and had to have emergency surgery, prosecutors said.
Colin Dixon’s mother and sister intervened. Both were attacked with the same knife and suffered deep cuts, a prosecutor said during a hearing in January.
The alleged assailant told police he was in a “dream state” when he attacked his family, a prosecutor said, adding that the Dixons reported that their son did not have a history of mental illness.
Defense attorney Heather Carroll said she’s going to pursue another mental health evaluation for her client.
When the prosecution requested the renewal of several no-contact orders, Carroll told Judge Robert Lewis she believes the family doesn’t want them in place. Colin Dixon’s mother gave a brief statement before Lewis decided to keep the orders in place.
The judge set several hearings over the next two months.
