Casualties from a Facebook war between high school students could land a Laguna Beach 16-year-old in an adult state prison for 15 years.
Michael Jason Wilson is being charged as an adult for allegedly stabbing a
former classmate in the stomach and assaulting two of the victim's
friends with a carving knife.
He has engaged in “an online rivalry” with a 17-year-old through Facebook and personal email accounts, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office (OCDA).
Hostilities led to a March 11 confrontation at Wilson's house that ended in bloodshed.
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The 17-year-old, identified as Julian C., drove over to Wilson's home with two 16-year-olds (Nicholas L. and Sam
S.) and a fourth friend. Wilson had previously attended the same high school as the four visitors.
As his three friends waited in the car, Wilson and Julian C. met outside, a confrontation ensued and, according to the OCDA, Wilson whipped out a carving
knife with a 12-inch blade and stabbed Julian C. in the stomach.
The friends got out of the car to help their fallen buddy and disarm Wilson.
Wilson is accused of slashing the hands and arms of Nicholas L. and Sam S. during the struggle. The fourth friend
was not physically injured.
The four visitors managed to get back in the car, drive off and flag down a passing
police officer, who got them to a hospital for treatment. Julian C. and Nicholas L. required surgery for their wounds. Sam S. received stitches and was released. All are fine now.
Wilson was arrested at his home the same day as the attack. He has been charged with three felony counts of aggravated assault with sentencing
enhancements for causing great bodily injury.
Out of custody
on $65,000 bail, Wilson is scheduled to be arraigned Monday morning at Harbor Justice Center in Newport
Beach.
OC Weekly Editor-in-Chief Matt Coker has been engaging, enraging and entertaining readers of newspapers, magazines and websites for decades. He spent the first 13 years of his career in journalism at daily newspapers before “graduating” to OC Weekly in 1995 as the alternative newsweekly’s first calendar editor.