Woman nearly killed in assault

A 27-year-old Colorado Springs man left a massage parlor employee “within seconds of death” after stabbing and sexually assaulting her about 3:30 a.m. Sunday, according to court documents released Wednesday.

David Jonathon Welch was arrested on suspicion of attempted first-degree murder, sexual assault and first-degree burglary after he called police and said he thought he’d killed a woman, said El Paso County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Clif Northam.

The woman suffered several puncture wounds to her upper back but survived, the arrest affidavit stated.

Her name was not released, and her condition was unavailable Wednesday evening.

Welch had been looking at pornography on his computer about 1 a.m. Sunday when he began calling area massage parlors asking for sex, according to the affidavit.

Welch told deputies he drove to Tokyo Place, 2870 S. Circle Drive, about 2 a.m. and talked to a woman whom he tried to “swindle” for sex, the affidavit stated. The woman refused and Welch left, thinking of ways to rape her, the affidavit stated.

Welch returned about 3:30 a.m., pried open the door with a screwdriver and attacked a woman sleeping inside, the affidavit stated. Investigators wrote in the affidavit that Welch told them he didn’t know if she was the same woman he talked to earlier.

Welch told deputies he strangled her, sexually assaulted her and stabbed and hit her with the screwdriver.

“The smell and the look on her face made me leave,” Welch told deputies.

Driving away, Welch threw his cell phone and a screwdriver out his Isuzu’s window on Interstate 25 near Tejon Street. Once at home, Welch set his bloodsoaked jeans on fire in the street, the affidavit stated.

Welch then called police, and deputies arrested him at his home, Northam said.

Welch remained in the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center on Wednesday evening on $50,000 bond.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0274 or jennifer.wilson@gazette.com