Rusty Skarin takes plea deal after altercation with Jeff Kort

 Blue Hill resident, Rusty Skarin, 27, took a plea deal Sept. 9 in Adams County on charges connected to the stabbing of  Jeff Kort , also of Blue Hill in May.
Skarin pleaded no contest in Adams County District Court to the reduced  charge of attempted second-degree assault, rather than the previous assault charge.  Attempted second degree is a Class 4 felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Earlier he had entered the not guilty plea. 
In exchange for changing his plea, prosecutors reduced the charge to an attempt and dropped a charge of use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, a Class 2 felony punishable by up to 50 years in prison
Adams County District Judge Terri Harder ordered a pre-sentencing investigation and set Skarin's
sentencing for Nov. 10 at 11:30 a.m.
On May 10, according to Investigators in Adams County, Rusty Skarin got into an argument with the other Blue Hill resident, Jeff Kort,  while the two were together in a truck belonging to Kort.
Jeff Kort told a sheriff’s deputy that he forced Skarin to get out of his vehicle on the way home, but changed his mind and went back a short time later. According to Kort the two resumed fighting and Skarin stabbed him.
Despite his injuries Kort was able to get back into his truck and drove himself to Hastings for medical assistance. When he arrived at the hospital he was reluctant to discuss what had happened to him with law enforcement. Later, he agreed to talk about the incident.
Skarin was then interviewed and related a similar story.
According to Skarin's account of the events Kort choked him into unconsciousness on  the road. He said later when he regained consciousness Kort choked him  a second time.
Skarin never mention any knife and refused to answer any questions about the stabbing.
Both Skarin and Kort have several previous  assault charges on their record. 
Use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony is a Class 2 felony punishable by up to 50 years in prison. Second-degree assault is a Class 3 felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.