Man Stabbed Outside Downtown Bar

A St. Petersburg man has been charged with one count of aggravated battery and one count of aggravated assault after he allegedly stabbed another man outside a downtown St. Pete bar. 

According to police, 35-year-old William Wasel as in the Octave Bar at 661 Central Ave. when he became involved in an argument with a female bar patron.

James Langner, a friend of the female, intervened and at some point Wasel
punched him in the face, police said. Langner, 35, responded by punching Wasel several times as bar security attempted to intervene.

Wasel, police said, then pulled out a gray handled knife with a four inch blade and began swinging it wildly at the other bar patrons gathered around the fight. No one was struck and one of the bar employees grabbed a chair and used it as a shield to help push Wasel outside the front entrance.

Once outside Wasel confronted Langner again and used the knife to stab him once in the lower chest area, police said. Wasel then attempted to flee, but was quickly grabbed by several bar patrons who were able to disarm and detain him until police arrived to take him into custody.

According to police, Langner was taken to Bayfront Medical Center where it was determined that the knife had pierced his liver, but surgery was not required and his wound was determined to be non-life threatening.

Wasel was also taken to the hospital for treatment of facial injuries he suffered during his physical confrontation with the other bar patrons. He is currently in Pinellas County Jail.