Conner Borgelt

The Republic | azcentral.com

Police suspect that a turf war near Arizona State University's Tempe campus led to a man accidentally stabbing his son while trying to hurt another man during a brawl early Sunday.

Officers stopped John Sliney Yanez, 39, and his son after they had been seen leaving the brawl in a taxi after 3 a.m.

Police say Yanez had two knives on him, one of them bloodied, as well as usable quantities of methamphetamine and heroin, court records show. He was being held Monday in a Maricopa County jail on suspicion of aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon, multiple drug violations, assisting a criminal street gang, and threatening and intimidating.

It began about 2:45 a.m. Sunday, when Yanez and several fellow gang members went to Dutch Brothers on Lemon Street and Rural Road, police said. While outside, another group asked Yanez and his crew what they were "looking at," police said.

Yanez told the group that they were in his "hood" and a fight ensued, police said. It was during this brawl that Yanez accidentally stabbed his son in the back, court records show.

The group left Dutch Brothers and hurried to nearby Hungry Howie’s pizza restaurant. Yanez and his crew approached, and another fight broke out, police said.

Yanez once again pulled out a knife and stabbed one of the men in the group after almost 10 attempts, according to police.

At 3:05 a.m., police pulled the taxi cab over at McClintock Drive and Apache Boulevard. They took Yanez to a police station while his son went to HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center with a stab wound.

According to police, Yanez waived his Miranda rights and confessed to pulling out a knife at Dutch Brothers, as well as using and possessing meth and heroin. He did not confess to either stabbing.

Video surveillance at Hungry Howie’s, as well as an unidentified witness, confirmed that Yanez started the fight, according to police.