A trial date has been set for a Saginaw man accused of stabbing four people on an Amtrak train while it was stopped in Niles in December.

Michael Darnell Williams, 44, was bound over for trial on several charges, including five counts of attempted murder, during a preliminary examination Tuesday in Berrien County Trial Court in Niles.

Judge Dennis Wiley set the trial for Nov. 17-20.

Williams waived his right to have a preliminary examination and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Even though the exam was waived, Wiley allowed assistant prosecutor Amy Byrd to call a witness in order to preserve the person’s testimony. Byrd explained that the witness is from out of state.

The witness was Dontrell Bankhead, an Amtrak conductor and victim of the Dec. 5 attack.

Bankhead said he was working on the train that evening when a man struck up a conversation with him. He identified the man by pointing to Williams, who was seated in the courtroom.

Bankhead said Williams asked him how much money was on the train and how many passengers were on the train, prompting Bankhead to worry that Williams might rob the train.

Bankhead also said Williams talked about knowing people that had been killed not long ago.

Bankhead said Williams refused to go back to his seat when asked, but eventually left and went into the train’s cafe car.

Not long afterward, Bankhead said he and the other conductors determined that they should have Williams removed from the train at the Niles station and contact police.

Shortly after reaching the Niles station, Bankhead said he received a radio transmission from a coworker about removing Williams.

Bankhead said Williams heard the transmission and could see police arriving outside the train.

When Bankhead stepped toward Williams to escort him out of the train, Bankhead said Williams stabbed him several times, including in the neck, face, shoulder and rib cage.

Bankhead said Williams eventually stopped attacking him and moved on to another area of the train.

Williams is also alleged to have injured three others before being subdued inside the train by an officer with a Taser the Niles Police Department.

Williams was found competent to stand trial earlier this month after receiving a court ordered forensic examination.

He is facing the possibility of life in prison on the attempted murder charges.

He is being held on $1 million bond.