Man charged with attempted murder and battery for allegedly stabbing 17-year-old boy

SOUTH BEND, Ind.-- On Monday, the St. Joseph County Prosecutor's Office charged a 47-year-old man with attempted murder and battery for allegedly stabbing a 17-year-old in South Bend last month. 

Michael Chaney attempted murder, a Level 1 felony, aggravated battery, a Level 3 felony, and battery with a deadly weapon, a Level 5 felony. He is being held on a $50,000 cash bond in the St. Joseph County Jail. 

ABC57 spoke with the victim off camera today. He said he's doing better but is not ready to share his story. 

“You just didn’t expect that to happen here, just as quiet as it is, as peaceful as it is,” said neighbor Gerald Warner. 

But on January 23, police cars turned this peaceful stretch of N. Browne Lane into a crime scene. 

“Friends start calling me, texting me 'Are you okay, are you okay?' I go yeah I’m at work why?" said Warner. "Well they’re reporting a stabbing at the 1300 block of Browne Lane”

Warner lives across the street from where the stabbing happened. He says he’s friends with the victim and never expected his neighbor to become a stabbing victim. 

“He seems to be a well raised, very respectful, decent kid,” he said. 

A probable cause affidavit said Chaney drove to the victim's grandmother's house to pick up a 14-year-old girl. Chaney asked to use the bathroom. Instead he went inside a bedroom where the 17-year-old boy was and pulled out a knife. Investigators said Chaney chased the victim throughout the house, before he cornered the teen in the kitchen. Detectives said that's where Chaney stabbed the teen multiple times in the abdomen, back, and arms –

“I hoped he was okay," said Warner. 

Doctors said the boy’s lung collapsed and filled with blood, but the quick action of first responders saved his life.

“He didn’t deserve what he got," said Warner. 

During an interview, Chaney admitted that he didn't like the teen. That statement was backed by the 14-year-old girl. She told officers that Chaney behaved jealously anytime the teen was mentioned. She also said she heard Chaney scream to the victim, "You got to die". 

Warner spoke with the victim last Saturday. Warner said the victim was in good spirits. 

"He was his smiling happy self when he was talking," said Warner. 

Chaney escaped from the scene, but officers arrested him February 1. Formal charges against Chaney were filed on Monday. It's a thought that neighbors said eases their minds.

“I don’t feel like I constantly have to keep an eye on across the street watching for him because until he was caught you just never know if he was going to try to make things worse," said Warner. 

Chaney is expected in court on February 13 for his initial hearing.