Kansas National Guard member faces charges, accused of attacking stepson with pliers
A Bonner Springs man is facing charges, accused of stabbing his 16-year-old stepson in the head after a dispute about Christmas lights, according to the teen’s father.
Aaron Anzicek, 35, is charged in Leavenworth County District Court with two counts of aggravated battery stemming from separate incidents in May and November 2019.
Anzicek is a specialist in the Kansas National Guard and a fire protection investigator with the Kansas State Fire Marshal.
State Fire Marshal Doug Jorgensen said his office was aware of the criminal charges, but declined to comment further, saying it was a personnel matter. A spokeswoman with the Kansas National Guard declined to comment.
Video of the assault, captured by home surveillance camera and shown to The Star by the teen’s father, Daniel Ditsch, shows Anzicek toss a drink into the teen’s face before attacking him with a pair of pliers. Anzicek then appears to pin the teen to the ground.
When police arrived, Anzicek told officers the 16-year-old had attacked him.
Ditsch said he was with his son and Anzicek days before the attack when the teen had run away from home.
At the time, he said, there was discussion of having the teen move in with him, but Anzicek was insistent that the teen stay in Bonner Springs.
“He had an out, to get him out,” Ditsch said. “That’s not a way to treat a kid.”
Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson declined to comment on the charges, but said Anzicek “is innocent until proven guilty.”
Anzicek’s defense attorney, Michael Duma, said the evidence in the case, and the teen’s injuries, did not show that Anzicek used the pliers against the teen.
“I can’t come to the conclusion that he even touched him with the snippers,” Duma said.
Anzicek’s next scheduled court appearance is in March.
This story was originally published January 23, 2020 at 4:45 PM.
