La Crosse man charged with second-degree homicide in Houska Park death

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — A La Crosse man was charged Wednesday with second-degree reckless homicide and felony bail jumping in connection with the stabbing of another man in Joseph Houska Park last week.

Pearson

David A. Pearson Jr., 35, no permanent address, was in La Crosse County Circuit Court after he was accused of stabbing Cameron X. Baker Monday, June 28, with a stolen knife during a fight at the park on Isle La Plume.

A witness told police the whole incident took less than 10 minutes, according to the criminal complaint. She said, “It didn’t seem like it was that long, I guess everything happened so fricken quick, like, it escalated for what. I just, I don’t get it.”

According to the criminal complaint, witnesses say Baker was acting erratic and obnoxious at the park Monday with a group of homeless people. Meanwhile, someone accused Pearson of having a knife that was stolen from an unattended tent a few days before. Pearson began pacing with the knife in his hand and a witness says they heard Baker make a random noise, then heard Pearson say, “You don’t want none of me, boy. I’m the wrong one.”

Another witness told police Pearson stabbed Baker with the knife, then bolted, getting on a bike and riding away. A witness says Pearson yelled, “Y’all didn’t see nothing,” as he rode away, according to the complaint.

A man who was also at the park told police he sold the knife to Pearson. Another man reported that the knife had been stolen from his tent. The knife in question is also part of an investigation by the Altoona Police Department.

Read the full criminal complaint here: Criminal Complaint – County_2 – Pearson, David A Jr