BELLINGHAM, WA. – (KGMI.com) A Bellingham man is in custody after allegedly slashing a transient man in the neck.

Court documents state that a couple was sleeping inside an abandoned building near the intersection of James Street and Sunset Drive early Tuesday morning, December 26th, when they woke up to noise and a flashlight.

The male suspect, 36-year-old Trey West, awoke and approached a transient man who had entered the building to seek shelter and go through his own belongings.

West allegedly shouted at the man to stop and put a knife to his throat as he pushed the man against a wall, causing a significant laceration to his neck.

The victim left the building and walked to the hospital for care, where Bellingham Police found him alert and in stable condition.

Officers then surrounded the abandoned building for several hours and used PA systems to call for West to come out with no response.

They then obtained a search warrant to go in and arrest him.

West faces burglary and assault charges for illegally entering the building with a deadly weapon and causing substantial injuries to the victim.

He remains at the Whatcom County Jail on a $100,000 appearance bond.