A Massachusetts man is in critical condition after being attacked with an ax by his live-in girlfriend. The 53-year-old man has multiple wounds to his neck and needed two surgeries in order to repair damage caused by the ax.
His 47-year-old girlfriend was arrested and charged with multiple counts, including resisting arrest, attempted murder, vandalizing property and assault with a dangerous weapon.
The woman's neighbors called the police to report that she was attempting to break into their home with an ax. She tried to break the lock on their front door with the ax. When this was unsuccessful, she turned to their large window and started to break it to gain entry into the home. When police arrived, they found the boyfriend.
According to the neighbors, the woman is supposed to be medication. If she stops taking it, she acts erratically and "off the wall." They also report that she has had problems in the past. In the week before the ax attack, the woman removed her personal belongings from the home and placed them in the yard.
The judge in the woman's case ordered an evaluation to measure her competency to determine if she was fit to stand trial. Her arraignment was scheduled to take place, but she was spitting during the proceedings and the judge decided to postpone the arraignment until she agreed to act correctly.
She is currently being held without bail.
The woman likely faces serious consequences, but it's possible that the judge will consider her mental well-being during the trial. This is especially true if her attorney can show that she can be better helped by long-term medication and treatment, rather than a prison sentence. Her defense attorney might be able to help her to avoid jail time and enter into a treatment program instead.
Source: CBS Boston, "Lunenburg woman charged in ax attack on boyfriend" Katie Brace, Apr. 23, 2014