Sentencing will be Jan. 14 for a Foley man who pleaded guilty Monday to attempted murder in the multiple stabbing of a childhood friend in August 2007.

Jonas Guerrero Flores, 29, an Orange Beach construction worker, changed his plea to guilty moments before opening arguments and without any state sentencing recommendations.

Circuit Judge Charles Partin ordered a presentence investigation and allowed the victim, Martin Valle Salazar, 27, a worker at a Bon Secure fisheries company, who will not be available at the Jan. 14 sentencing hearing, to present testimony.

Salazar said he was drinking with his brothers at a Little Rock Road residence when an argument broke out. He then went to another party briefly, then departed after “one guy threw a beer at him.”

About 2 a.m., he arrived at another party where co-workers were drinking and he saw Flores, whom he described as a childhood friend  he grew up with in Mexico.

After consuming about 15 beers, Salazar said he got up to leave.

“I was a little drunk and tried to help myself out,” Valle/Salazar said through an interpreter. “I made a turn and heard someone say, ‘be careful, someone wants to hurt you.’

“I felt two wounds in my back, turned and saw Flores stabbing me. I could feel a lot of the times but wasn’t counting. I screamed for my brother and when he came, Flores left.

“He (Flores) was my friend. I don’t know why he attacked me. I have seen Flores with weapons, but he never did anything with them.”

The victim said he does not remember being airlifted to the University of South Alabama where he remained 13 days for treatment  of 10 stab wounds.

According to Foley police reports, officers arrived shortly after the incident, and Salazar’s brother provided a photo and description of the suspect. About 6 a.m., Flores was discovered exiting a wooded area on Magnolia Creek Drive, handed police a black-handled filet knife and said, “I’m sorry.”

Flores said the victim “started trying to fight everyone and struck one of his friends,” causing his face to bleed and swell.

Flores said he retrieved a knife from the kitchen and stabbed Salazar.

Flores said Salazar was not armed and had not made an overt gesture of violence toward him.

“I was just tired of him fighting everyone and acting like he was No. 1,” according to police reports.