Frozen Sooner
05-13-2005, 11:25 PM
Man halts traffic, cuts throat of driver
BENSON: Bystander intervened; injuries are not life-threatening.
By MEGAN HOLLAND
Anchorage Daily News
Published: May 13th, 2005
Last Modified: May 13th, 2005 at 07:16 AM
A man crossing Benson Boulevard on Wednesday afternoon stopped traffic when he stood in front of a car, kicked it, then used a box cutter blade to take a swipe at the driver who got out to confront him, the police said.
The man in the car received a 6-inch slice on his throat, and the pedestrian ended up in jail charged with first-degree attempted murder.
Joel T. Brooks, 27, of Anchorage, has also been charged with first-degree assault. According to court documents filed Thursday, Brooks has a lengthy list of run-ins with the law, including charges of assault and violating domestic violence protective orders.
Another motorist, describing the incident in an interview Thursday, said the attacker looked "crazed" when he went after his victim. When the victim tried to run away, his assailant pursued, said James Bland, 62, who was in a truck behind the victim. A bystander nearby intervened and may have saved the man's life, Bland said.
"The man who did this -- he had a vacancy in his eyes; he looked like he was lethal," Bland said.
The victim, Evrod Thompson, 24, was taken to a local hospital. Thursday afternoon, police said his injury did not appear life-threatening. According to a database of public records, Thompson lives at Fort Richardson.
According to police, Thompson was driving east on Benson on Wednesday around 3:30 p.m. and was near Denali Street in his 2005 Honda Accord. He slowed to a stop when a pedestrian started to cross the street in front of him. He was not at an intersection or crosswalk.
Thompson stopped, and the pedestrian kicked his car. Thompson pulled his car over, got out and asked, "What's up?" according to the court documents. Brooks accused Thompson of trying to run him over, pulled out a box cutter blade, police said, and slashed Thompson on the throat. Court documents say the wound bled profusely.
"There was blood everywhere," Bland said. The attacker then got into a karate stance, he said.
Court documents say Thompson walked around to see whether there was damage to his car when he saw his attacker still coming after him.
"He looked disoriented and weak," Bland said. "But that other guy wanted to hurt him some more."
An unidentified man standing near the Wal-Mart parking lot went to help the victim, Bland said. And the assailant just walked away.
"It was totally unexpected -- broad daylight, heavy traffic, people going home or wherever," Bland said of the entire episode.
"My lesson is: Never get out of my car."
According to court documents, after Brooks was taken in by the police, he made racial slurs about the victim and called himself a skinhead.
Daily News reporter Megan Holland can be reached at mrholland@adn.com.
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/6485076p-6365379c.html (http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/6485076p-6365379c.html)
Talked with Evrod a bit yesterday. He's feeling OK considering he's got a slice in his throat.
BENSON: Bystander intervened; injuries are not life-threatening.
By MEGAN HOLLAND
Anchorage Daily News
Published: May 13th, 2005
Last Modified: May 13th, 2005 at 07:16 AM
A man crossing Benson Boulevard on Wednesday afternoon stopped traffic when he stood in front of a car, kicked it, then used a box cutter blade to take a swipe at the driver who got out to confront him, the police said.
The man in the car received a 6-inch slice on his throat, and the pedestrian ended up in jail charged with first-degree attempted murder.
Joel T. Brooks, 27, of Anchorage, has also been charged with first-degree assault. According to court documents filed Thursday, Brooks has a lengthy list of run-ins with the law, including charges of assault and violating domestic violence protective orders.
Another motorist, describing the incident in an interview Thursday, said the attacker looked "crazed" when he went after his victim. When the victim tried to run away, his assailant pursued, said James Bland, 62, who was in a truck behind the victim. A bystander nearby intervened and may have saved the man's life, Bland said.
"The man who did this -- he had a vacancy in his eyes; he looked like he was lethal," Bland said.
The victim, Evrod Thompson, 24, was taken to a local hospital. Thursday afternoon, police said his injury did not appear life-threatening. According to a database of public records, Thompson lives at Fort Richardson.
According to police, Thompson was driving east on Benson on Wednesday around 3:30 p.m. and was near Denali Street in his 2005 Honda Accord. He slowed to a stop when a pedestrian started to cross the street in front of him. He was not at an intersection or crosswalk.
Thompson stopped, and the pedestrian kicked his car. Thompson pulled his car over, got out and asked, "What's up?" according to the court documents. Brooks accused Thompson of trying to run him over, pulled out a box cutter blade, police said, and slashed Thompson on the throat. Court documents say the wound bled profusely.
"There was blood everywhere," Bland said. The attacker then got into a karate stance, he said.
Court documents say Thompson walked around to see whether there was damage to his car when he saw his attacker still coming after him.
"He looked disoriented and weak," Bland said. "But that other guy wanted to hurt him some more."
An unidentified man standing near the Wal-Mart parking lot went to help the victim, Bland said. And the assailant just walked away.
"It was totally unexpected -- broad daylight, heavy traffic, people going home or wherever," Bland said of the entire episode.
"My lesson is: Never get out of my car."
According to court documents, after Brooks was taken in by the police, he made racial slurs about the victim and called himself a skinhead.
Daily News reporter Megan Holland can be reached at mrholland@adn.com.
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/6485076p-6365379c.html (http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/6485076p-6365379c.html)
Talked with Evrod a bit yesterday. He's feeling OK considering he's got a slice in his throat.