Sunday evening, about 9 p.m. Enterprise police arrested Phillip Evans for assault allegedly with an axe on his room-mate Michael Zanello.

The incident occurred on West North Street adjacent to the car wash and Video Buffs. Mr. Zanello was taken to Wallowa Memorial Hospital and then transported by Life Flight helicopter to Boise. The extent of his injuries were not released.

The incident began when a family driving past Video Buffs noticed a man, Michael Zanello, bent over and staggering down the street toward Safeway They stopped to provide help, then called 911. They asked that their names be withheld from publication.

Enterprise police, Wallowa County sheriff and Wallowa Memorial Hospital ambulance arrived minutes later.

Zanello, who was bleeding from multiple wounds, told officers that he had been attacked by his roommate, Phillip Evans. Evans allegedly used an axe in the assault. Zanello was transported by Wallowa Memorial Ambulance to the hospital and then was transported by Air Life to a Boise medical facility, according to Enterprise Chief Joel Fish.

Enterprise police and Wallowa County sheriff deputies broke down the dead-bolt-locked front door of Evan’s nearby rental house on North Street, entered the building and about ten minutes later emerged with Evans in handcuffs.

Enterprise Chief of Police Joel Fish requested that the Oregon State Police Crime Lab assist in the investigation. They began their work Monday morning about 6 a.m.

Wupp Winn, owner of Video Buffs, said that he had heard the call on police radio while at a graduation party. “They said it was at Video Buff,” he said, “and my first thought was whether all my employees were OK. But we close at 7 on Sunday, so it seemed they were all right. I came down here to see if I could help.”

This breaking story will be updated as more information becomes available.