Colorado Springs man Jesus Lopez-Zavala, who is charged with two counts of attempted murder, among other charges, for a 2023 incident, has pleaded not guilty and is set to go to trial early next year.

The 36-year-old man appeared Thursday before 8th Judicial District Court Judge Joseph Findley in Fort Collins and pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, saying they were “unfounded accusations.” Lopez-Zavala’s attorney, William Holtz, said he was ordered to conduct a competency evaluation for his client, but ultimately found him competent to proceed.

Assistant District Attorney Erin Butler said her office rescinded a plea deal offer that would have called for a sentence of 10 to 32 years in prison, and if convicted, he faces 16 to 48 years in prison on each attempted murder count.

Findley scheduled Lopez-Zavala to return for a pretrial hearing at 1:30 p.m. on February 10, ahead of a 5-day trial that begins March 17.

Lopez-Zavala He was arrested last August and was accused of breaking into a residence in the 3200 block of West Eisenhower Boulevard and threatening two people with an ax before a fight broke out, injuring himself and a man inside the home.

during a Preliminary hearing in May A Larimer County Sheriff’s Office deputy alleges Lopez-Zavala entered the West Loveland home looking for a female victim who was in the home because he believed she was having an affair with a man in the home. He is accused of fighting with the man after getting inside, resulting in Lopez-Zavala being stabbed and the man being hit in the head with an axe; Holtz questioned the severity of the male victim’s injuries during the hearing in early May.

Judge Findley found probable cause in this case and set aside the felony charges for trial.

In this case, Lopez-Zavala faces two counts of attempted first-degree murder, a class 2 felony; first-degree assault causing serious bodily injury, a class 3 felony; first-degree burglary, a class 3 felony; two counts of menacing, a class 5 felony; criminal mischief, a class 6 misdemeanor; and five sentencing enhancers for violation of a protective order and crime of violence.

He was also charged with possession of fentanyl, a class 4 drug felony, in another case; resisting arrest, a class 2 misdemeanor; obstruction of a peace officer; class 2 misdemeanor; possession of drug paraphernalia, a minor drug offense; and tampering with physical evidence, a class 1 misdemeanor.