Accused wife beater to undergo evaluation
Kuykendall
COEUR d’ALENE — A man who is accused of threatening his wife with a Bowie knife, puncturing her car tires and strangling her, will have a domestic violence evaluation before he appears in court this month for sentencing.
Nicholas I. Kuykendall, 28, was arrested in March and charged with two counts of aggravated assault, domestic battery, strangulation, stalking, malicious injury to property and a domestic battery enhancement.
He pleaded guilty to three of the charges including assault, strangulation and the enhancement, and is in the Kootenai County Jail on a $75,000 bond.
At a hearing Friday in First District Court attorneys wanted to ensure Kuykendall’s evaluation is filed before his Oct. 17 sentencing.
Judge Cynthia K.C. Meyer said she had signed the order for the evaluation that will help determine an appropriate sentence.
State law requires that anyone who pleads guilty to felony domestic violence undergo an evaluation at their own expense, and provide the court with the result of the evaluation, so a judge can determine what kind of treatment or counseling is required.
Kuykendall, who has an affinity for medieval weapons, according to images on his phone that were referenced in a police report, allegedly strangled his wife twice, causing her to black out at least once after accusing her of stealing from him, according to a deputy’s report.
He also stalked his wife, showing up at odd places, according to witnesses. Late last year in a Maverik gas station parking lot, Kuykendall allegedly threatened the victim with a large knife, before licking the blade and punching it into her car tire, causing it to rupture, according to a deputy’s report in court records.
The victim endured several beatings as she waited months before contacting authorities, according to her testimony to deputies.
Kuykendall has a previous felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance, according to the Idaho Department of Correction.
Felony domestic battery carries a penalty not to exceed 10 years in prison.