PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis. — An 18-year-old Pleasant Prairie man faces an attempted homicide charge after prosecutors say he stabbed his father in the neck at a Racine home before fleeing to Nebraska, where he was arrested the following day.
WATCH: Man arrested in Nebraska after allegedly stabbing father at home in Racine
Prosecutors say Joseph Niemiec stabbed his father at his home in Racine on Aug. 12. Niemiec allegedly showed up to his father's house just before 1 a.m.
His father told investigators he had heard a sound at his back door and originally thought it was an intruder. Niemiec then allegedly announced his presence and was invited inside.
Court documents allege the two spoke in the kitchen, where Niemiec told his father he was having a hard time and that he had attempted to take his own life multiple times recently.
Prosecutors say Niemiec eventually went to the bathroom, and upon returning, asked his father for a hug. As the two went to hug, prosecutors say Niemiec stabbed his father in the neck with a knife.
His father told investigators his son attempted to stab him again, but that he was able to take control of Niemiec's hand, disarm him, push him away, and attempted to run.
Niemiec then allegedly chased his father out of the house. During the chase, Niemiec's father told investigators he managed to throw the knife into a garbage can, but wasn't sure if his son had retrieved it.
He then allegedly ran across the street to a neighbor's house and attempted to call 911, while his son took off on foot.
Niemiec was arrested the following day by the Nebraska State Patrol after troopers were alerted that a suspect wanted in connection with the attempted homicide in Wisconsin was believed to be traveling through Nebraska on I-80 in a Chevrolet Malibu.
Just before noon, a trooper spotted the car and made a traffic stop at mile marker 304, near the Alda interchange. After confirming the driver was Niemiec, he was arrested on the warrant from Wisconsin and lodged in Hall County Jail.
Extradition proceedings are pending. The Nebraska State Patrol is working with the Racine Police Department on the investigation.
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