May 13—EAU CLAIRE — An Eau Claire man will be sentenced Aug. 18 for stabbing his girlfriend four times in the leg during an argument at an Eau Claire park.

Esra Kanas, 30, 708 Jones St., pleaded no contest Friday in Eau Claire County Court to felony counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety and substantial battery.

A misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct was dismissed.

Judge Jon Theisen ordered a pre-sentence investigation by the state Department of Corrections.

Kanas could be sentenced to up to six years in prison.

According to the criminal complaint:

The woman said she and Kanas dated for six months and were living together.

On Monday, Oct. 18, 2021, the couple decided to take the woman's daughter to McDonough Park to play. When they got to the park, the girl decided she didn't want to play outside because there were other people in the park.

The woman said she and her 4-year-old daughter then stayed in the car while Kanas walked around in the park and drank beer.

The three of them soon left the park, went to Kanas' sister's house for a short time and then returned to the park.

The woman said she and Kanas began to argue. Kanas wanted to get more beer to drink and she didn't want him to do so.

The woman said she didn't want her daughter to keep hearing the argument, so she got out of the vehicle and sat on the ground.

Kanas then grabbed her throat and tried to choke her. When he tried to punch her in the face, the woman shielded her face with her hands and arms.

Kanas then produced a knife and stabbed the woman four times in the legs.

The woman told police she was fearful of Kanas finding out that she told authorities about what happened during the incident.

Police observed puncture wounds on the woman's calves. She also had significant bruising and marks on her left upper thigh, and numerous marks and bruises on her arms.

The woman was transported by ambulance to an Eau Claire hospital.

The woman's family members pointed out a folding knife sitting on the table at the residence. They said it was the knife Kanas used to stab the woman.

There was dried blood at the end of a blade. Police determined the width of the blade was consistent with the size of the wounds on the woman's legs.

The woman required stitches for the wounds on her legs.