LA MARQUE, Texas — A well-known La Marque resident and athletic booster who was armed with a club could have been fatally stabbed by another man who was defending himself, authorities said Monday.
While mortally wounded, Clifford Ennis Pleasant, who would have turned 47 on Thursday, drove himself to Mainland Medical Center, arriving about 11 p.m. Saturday.
Pleasant was pronounced dead at Ben Taub General Hospital’s emergency room in Houston, Texas City police spokesman Sgt. Joe Stanton, said.
Police questioned James E. Jones, 49, who is accused of stabbing Pleasant on the left side, 3 to 4 inches below his armpit.
The Galveston County District Attorney’s Office declined to file charges against Jones but will present the case to a grand jury, Stanton said.
Pleasant had a large stick, which police described as a club, when he arrived in the 4900 block of Monarch Lane, where Jones lives with his wife.
"The husband and wife were already in the street," Stanton said. "They were arguing with each other in front of Pleasant, and he stops and confronts Jones."
Stanton didn’t know Monday what the argument entailed. While holding the club, Pleasant approached Jones, who in turn produced a large, custom-made knife, Stanton said.
"Jones was struck by the large club, and had wounds on his arms," Stanton said, noting injuries could have been defensive wounds.
The stabbing occurred in the street, Stanton said.
Health One Air Ambulance flew Pleasant from Mainland Medical Center to The Women’s Hospital of Texas in Houston, where he was then driven by ground ambulance to Ben Taub, Kitty Allen, a Harris County Health District spokeswoman, said.
The University of Texas Medical Branch’s trauma center in Galveston, which has a helipad, was accepting all patients since 9 p.m. Friday and was not on a divert status, spokespersons for the hospital said Monday.
The Medical Branch, even though it lost its Level 1 trauma center designation after Hurricane Ike’s landfall, has since August been treating all types of traumatic injury, Raul Reyes, a hospital spokesman, said.
A Mainland Medical Center spokeswoman had no immediate comment Monday on why Pleasant was taken to Houston.
Pleasant was well-known in the community for his love of La Marque High School athletics. He was present at most Cougar games, wearing blue and gold at every event.
He would even go to several La Marque football practices throughout the week to watch his son, Elijah, a junior defensive tackle for the Cougars.
"Clifford was out there all the time supporting us and his son," La Marque head football coach Darrell Jordan said.
"He was always around even if it was a basketball game or a track meet or a baseball game. He was definitely a great Cougar fan."
Pleasant also helped start a tailgating group in 2008. The group set up a large grill outside of Etheredge Stadium before every home football game, and Pleasant would serve as the cook.
The food was free for anyone who arrived, including rival fans.
"When the booster club talked about starting a tailgating group, Clifford really took the bull by the horns," former La Marque booster club president Mike Lockwood said. "I knew that anytime we asked for help with the booster club, he was always there. He never said no.
"Clifford was a good fan, good for the school district and a good father."
Jordan said he talked with Elijah on Monday. The teen, known as "Big Red" by his friends and family, is staying with his mother.
"Elijah is still in shock," Jordan said. "Having to deal with the loss of his father is a painful situation. We all have to rally around Red and show him some love. He is going to need a big support system to help him through this shocking and sad loss."
This story was brought to you thanks to khou.com's partnership with The Galveston County Daily News.
