An Albert Lea man charged in the drunken assault of another person last May admitted he was too intoxicated to remember the assault Monday in Freeborn County District Court.

Nicholas Richard Ramirez, 21, entered a Norgaard plea to second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. The plea stipulated severe intoxication caused him to not be able to remember the assault.

Court documents state Ramirez was charged after Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched May 17 to a residence on 790th Avenue on a report that a male stabbed another male in the head with a screwdriver.

Once officers arrived on scene, they saw the alleged victim holding the right side of his head. Ramirez was being restrained. Dried blood was seen around Ramirez’s mouth and lips.

Court documents state the victim had a bleeding laceration on his right earlobe, which reportedly caused the earlobe to be slightly deformed. Dried blood was also observed around his ear and neck.

Freeborn County Attorney David Walker said Wednesday the victim thought the screwdriver was used in the assault but did not describe how it was used.

“There is no direct evidence of what caused the injury to this earlobe,” Walker said.

Ramirez had a .223 blood alcohol content after the incident.

The victim was taken to the emergency room.

After being arrested and taken to Freeborn County jail, Ramirez said he had been drinking all day, admitted the incident was his fault and said he could not remember stabbing or biting the victim.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 29. Walker said he expects Ramirez to be placed on probation with a focus on chemical dependency and mental health treatments. He is expected to begin inpatient treatment before sentencing.

Walker said the victim in the case is “very much in favor” of Ramirez being placed on probation.

He said under the circumstances, it “seemed fairer” to place Ramirez on probation and get him treatment rather than send him to prison.