Athens PD press release
A New Jersey man was stabbed early Saturday morning at a party in southeast Athens. The man died a short time later at a Tyler hospital.
At approximately 3:30 a.m., the Athens Police Department received reports of the stabbing at a residence in the 800 block of Tannehill Way. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found that the victim, Mark Groendyk, 27, of New Jersey, had been transported to East Texas Medical Center-Athens by private vehicle.
According to witnesses at the scene, Groendyk and several other people attending the party, believed that Jeremy Robert Lane, 25, of Athens, was possibly intoxicated and were trying to prevent him from driving away from the location. At some time during their intervention, Lane reportedly pulled a knife and stabbed Groendyk in the abdomen. As bystanders aided Groendyk, Lane fled the scene in his vehicle.
After arriving at the hospital in Athens, Groendyk was flown by air-ambulance to East Texas Medical Center-Tyler where he died a short time later as a result of his injuries.
Athens police Detectives processed the crime scene and interviewed witnesses. Through their investigation they were able to positively identify Lane as the assailant. Detective Corporal James Bonnette obtained a warrant for Lane’s arrest on the charge of murder.
During the search for Lane, information was developed as to his possible whereabouts near Flint, Texas. At approximately 5:30 p.m., deputies from the Smith County Sheriff’s Department located Lane’s vehicle at a residence in the 18000 block of County Road 1100 in Smith County. Lane was taken into custody without incident by Athens and Smith County law enforcement officials and booked into the Henderson County jail on the murder charge.
Lane’s vehicle was impounded and transported back to Athens for
Processing. Bond on Lane has been set at $1 million.