SPOKANE,  WA –  Spokane Valley Deputies arrested a man accused of threatening a neighbor with a machete and damaging property during a dispute on February 17.

Deputies responded to a call around 8:10 p.m. at an apartment building in the 12300 block of E. Main Avenue. The victim reported that a neighbor, identified as 65-year-old Rodrigo P. Farnacio, knocked on his door around 7:50 p.m. while holding a machete and asking about $10. When the victim said he didn’t know what Farnacio was referring to, Farnacio allegedly struck the door with the machete.

According to the victim, Farnacio prevented the door from closing by sticking the blade through the opening, poking the victim in the chest with the machete. The victim threw a cup at Farnacio, causing him to step back, which allowed the victim to close and lock the door. Farnacio reportedly struck the door again before leaving.

Deputies observed damage to the victim’s door, a red mark on his chest, and a scratch below his throat. Two witnesses provided similar accounts of the incident.

When Deputies contacted Farnacio, he initially refused to leave his apartment, making comments like, “Yeah, something happened tonight. Business is business.” Eventually, Deputies persuaded him to exit and detained him without incident.

Farnacio told Deputies he had lent the victim $10 earlier in the day and became upset after drinking alcohol when the money was not repaid. He admitted to asking for the money, getting angry, and hitting the door with the machete. Farnacio denied consent for Deputies to enter his apartment and retrieve the weapon.

Deputies obtained a search warrant and located the machete under a bed around 10:50 p.m. The weapon was seized as evidence.

Farnacio was booked into the Spokane County Jail on charges of second-degree assault, burglary, and third-degree malicious mischief.