An Ohio man has been charged with 11 felonies in Nebraska after an alleged knife attack killed a Eureka man and injured a Eureka woman at a rest area. Gary Weaver, 72, died after the attack, and his wife, Mary Weaver, 71, had life-threatening injuries, authorities reported.
James D. Thompson, 22, of Elyria, Ohio, was charged today, June 20, with first-degree murder, a class 1 felony; attempted first-degree murder, a class 2 felony; first-degree assault, a class 2 felony; four counts of use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, which are class 2 felonies; two counts of attempted robbery, class 2A felonies; and operation of a motor vehicle to avoid arrest, a class 4 felony, Hall County, Nebraska, court records show.
According to Nebraska state statutes, the murder charge is punishable by either death or 40 years to life in prison. It was not known today if the death penalty would be sought.
Class 2 felonies are punishable by up to 50 years in prison, and a class 2A felony carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. A class 4 felony is punishable by up to two years in prison.
Thompson was being held without bond today, court papers show.
According to the case’s probable-cause statement, Hall County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called at 7:08 a.m. Wednesday, June 19, to a rest area at 4148 I-80 Access Road because of a disturbance. When deputies arrived, they found Mary Weaver outside of an RV, and Gary Weaver was inside the RV.
Gary Weaver was bleeding from his chest and head, and Mary Weaver was bleeding from her head. They were transported to Grand Island Regional Hospital, where Gary Weaver was pronounced dead, the report said.
Mary Weaver was in stable condition as of today, a hospital spokesman said.
The probable-cause statement said a witness said he saw Thompson attack the couple, and he provided investigators with video from his dash camera that showed portions of the attack. The witness also said he heard Thompson say, “Give me the Jeep keys.”
The video allegedly showed Thompson entering the passenger’s side of the RV while making a stabbing motion. Mary Weaver is then seen in the video with Thompson coming out of the RV, and he stabs her multiple times with a knife, the report said.
Thompson then fled the rest area in a white Ford Focus, which was seen traveling west on I-80. A Nebraska State Patrol trooper saw the Ford exit the interstate onto Hwy. MM300, according to the report.
The trooper followed Thompson, who after failing to stop for a stop sign and use his signal when exiting the interstate, turned around in a farm entrance on the highway. The trooper then turned on his vehicle’s emergency lights to stop Thompson, the report said.
Thompson fled from the trooper, allegedly driving as fast as 120 mph. He eventually lost control of the Ford, which went into the Platte River, according to the report.
Thompson ran from the car, but Nebraska State Patrol troopers stopped him after a brief foot chase. The troopers allegedly recovered a knife, which had blood residue, and a blue shirt, which had blood stains, from Thompson, the report said.
Thompson allegedly told investigators he stabbed Gary and Mary Weaver while attempting to steal the Jeep. Investigators found the Jeep, which was being pulled by the RV, had been detached from vehicle, according t
ORIGINAL STORY:
A 72-year-old Eureka man died and a 71-year-old Eureka woman is in critical condition following an alleged knife attack on Wednesday, June 19, at an interstate rest area in Nebraska. The Eureka husband and wife have been identified as Gary and Mary Weaver, according to Hall County Sheriff’s Department.
A 22-year-old Elyria, Ohio, man allegedly assaulted the pair during an attempted robbery. the Hall County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Hall County Sheriff’s deputies were called at 7:08 a.m. to a rest area off I-80. The man and woman were suffering from apparent knife wounds and transported to a local hospital, the report said.
The man was pronounced dead at the Grand Island Regional Hospital. The woman, who had life-threatening injuries, was in critical condition as of this afternoon, according to the report.
Nebraska State Patrol officers arrested the Ohio man following a pursuit from the rest area. It was not known as of this afternoon if the man had been charged in the apparent attack.
The Hall County Sheriff’s Office reported it was still investigating the incident. It also has ordered an autopsy for the Eureka man.