20 years in prison for Racine man after plea deal following December 2015 stabbing incident

RACINE COUNTY -- A Racine man, accused in connection with a December 2015 stabbing in Racine has been sentenced to prison.

Lewis Caples

51-year-old Lewis Caples on Tuesday, March 7th was sentenced to prison, after pleaded no contest in October to a felony charge of first degree reckless injury, repeater.

He was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison, and 10 years extended supervision.

The stabbing took place in Racine on December 4th, 2015.

Racine police were dispatched to an emergency room for a woman with a severe laceration to her throat that would require surgery. Police learned the victim had been brought into the ER by Caples.

According to the criminal complaint, Caples told police he and the victim had been out celebrating the Packers victory vs. the Lions — stopping at a bar around midnight. When they returned home, Caples told police an unknown intruder was in the home.

Home where woman was stabbed

Caples indicated the intruder tried to stab him, but missed. Caples said he was able to turn the knife on the attacker — stabbing him twice. He then indicated that he put the attacker in an “arm bar,” and “judo chopped” him in the throat.

Caples told police his dog was also stabbed, and that his dog was able to bite the attacker in the face.

The complaint indicates the victim’s daughter arrived at the hospital, and a verbal argument ensued. She told police she asked Caples to leave because he was using crack cocaine. She also indicated Caples does not have a dog that she is aware of.

The victim in this case was unable to speak in the hospital, but she was able to write down messages to police, indicating it was Caples who had caused her injury. The victim indicated she told Caples he had to leave, and that’s when he cut her.

Police spoke with Caples again, and the complaint indicates he eventually told them he and the victim had argued, and during a struggle, the victim stated she hated Caples. Caples told police he wanted to use the knife to hurt himself, but the victim wouldn’t let him.

When asked if this was when he cut the woman, Caples said “yeah,” according to the complaint.

The victim indicated there was no argument, and said Caples came up behind her in the bedroom and cut her throat.

According to the complaint, the victim admitted they had smoked crack cocaine, and said people have told her Caples is “crazy” and not someone who can handle drugs.

The victim suffered a six-inch laceration on her neck. Medical personnel said the laceration missed a main artery by approximately one millimeter.