Case of man accused of January stabbing in Deshler advances to district court

HEBRON - The case of a man accused of stabbing another man in Deshler in January has been accelerated to a higher court.

Thayer County is accusing 29-year-old Preston Franzen of Nelson of stabbing Tanner Roop outside a home in Deshler on January 22.

According to court documents, Franzen was the one to first call the police on that night, saying that he was on the ground being punched, and stabbed Roop in the side in self-defense.
Roop was sent to the hospital for his injuries. House camera footage shows Franzen slashing one of Roop's tires before the altercation. He eventually tossed the knife into a ditch where it was recovered by police.

This week, Thayer county court found probable cause to accelerate the case to district court. Franzen, also a registered sex offender, is facing four charges including 2nd Degree Assault (Class 2 Felony); use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony (2A Felony); criminal mischief (Class 2 Misdemeanor) and tampering with evidence (Class 2 Felony). He is scheduled for arraignment in District Court in May.