A routine day on a rural Humphreys County bridge project turned chaotic Friday when a construction worker allegedly stabbed two coworkers, bolted into the nearby woods, and was later arrested with a bloody knife still on him, according to local authorities.
The violent encounter unfolded at a bridge work site in Bakerville, where two injured workers were rushed to a hospital for treatment. Officials have not released the victims' names or their conditions, and say the investigation is still very much active.
Deputies said the suspect took off toward the woods immediately after the stabbings. When they finally found him, he was lying in the woods with a knife that investigators say still had blood on it. He was taken into custody at the scene, and evidence collection and witness interviews began soon after.
In a Facebook post, the Humphreys County Sheriff's Office said deputies were called to the Bakerville/Duck River bridge construction site after reports that a worker had stabbed two coworkers and then fled. The post identified the suspect as Yefri Manuel Emerterio Urbanez and noted that initial tracking showed he had left the wooded area. A passerby later reported seeing a person walking in a field a couple of miles from the construction site, which kicked off a broader search.
Search and arrest
As reported by WSMV, the Tennessee Highway Patrol Aviation Unit joined the hunt, helping deputies locate the suspect. Authorities ultimately found Urbanez lying in the woods near the field that had been reported by the passerby, with a bloody knife still on his person. He was arrested shortly after officers reached him, according to the outlet. Deputies then collected evidence at the scene and interviewed witnesses as part of their ongoing probe.
Charges and victims
The Humphreys County Sheriff's Office said Urbanez has been charged with attempted criminal homicide for each of the two victims. Both injured coworkers were transported to a hospital for treatment, but officials have not publicly detailed the nature or extent of their injuries. Investigators say they are still piecing together what led up to the violence at the job site.
Bridge project background
The incident happened at a crossing on Bakerville Road over the Duck River, a bridge listed in the Tennessee Department of Transportation's Humphreys County bridge inventory. Tennessee Department of Transportation records show the Bakerville Road crossing sits several miles south of Waverly and is tracked in the state bridge inventories. Authorities said they responded to reports from the work site and are gathering evidence tied to the stabbings.
Officials from the Humphreys County Sheriff's Office and state troopers continue to investigate and say they will release more information as it becomes available. For now, Urbanez remains in custody and faces two counts of attempted criminal homicide, according to the Humphreys County Sheriff's Office.
