MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake man is now facing a first-degree manslaughter charge for cutting his son’s throat during a confrontation. The son died as a result of the injury.

Jeffrey Faircloth, 52, of Moses Lake, pleaded not guilty in Grant County Superior Court on Monday to first-degree manslaughter, with a special allegation of domestic violence. Faircloth was initially charged with second-degree assault in connection with the death of his son, Dakota Faircloth, 20, of Moses Lake. Prosecutors amended the charge to first-degree manslaughter after Dakota Faircloth died from the injury on Jan. 23. Jeffrey Faircloth remains in jail in lieu of $1 million bail.

Manslaughter differs from murder in that manslaughter is an “unlawful killing that doesn't involve malice aforethought, intent to seriously harm or kill, or extreme, reckless disregard for life,” according to www.nolo.com. The Revised Code of Washington states that a person is guilty of first-degree manslaughter when they “recklessly” cause the death of another person.

Jeffrey and Dakota Faircloth allegedly got into an argument at a residence in the 1100 block of South Ashley Way in Moses Lake on Jan. 21, which resulted in Dakota throwing an item at his father, striking him in the head. Jeffrey claimed he went upstairs to the kitchen to treat the wound and was followed by his son.

“In the kitchen Jeffrey obtained a knife, turned and Dakota lunged at him. Jeffrey struck Dakota cutting his throat,” wrote a officer. “Dakota turned and exited the residence and fell to the ground in the attached garage where he was eventually contacted by officers.”

When Moses Lake Police Department officers arrived at the South Ashley Way home Dakota was found in a attached garage with an arterial bleed from “an obvious neck wound.” Officers performed life-saving steps to treat the wound until medics arrived and Dakota was transported to Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake. He was later transported to Confluence Health-Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee, where he died on Jan. 23.

Jeffrey was transported to Samaritan Hospital for treatment and later booked into the Grant County Jail. Two witnesses to the initial confrontation between Jeffrey and Dakota told police Jeffrey started arguing with Dakota over the number of people at the South Ashley Way house and “Dakota’s failure to pay Jeffrey.”

They reported witnessing Dakota throw an object at his father’s head, but said they did not see the confrontation when Dakota’s throat was cut. Jeffrey claimed he grabbed the 10-inch chef’s kitchen knife to slash the tires on Dakota’s vehicle and he never intended to use it as a weapon against his son.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.