A 44-year-old Campbell County man was stabbed in the neck early Tuesday afternoon and airlifted to a Knoxville hospital after a blade was found buried to the hilt in the back of his neck, according to officials. A suspect was taken into custody, though the exact charges remained pending at the time of initial reporting.
According to WLAF, the stabbing happened at a home on Tartown Hollow Road, while WVLT identified the location as a home on Tartown Hollow Lane — the two outlets differ on the exact street designation. WVLT reported that deputies responded to the home at around 12:45 p.m. for what was described as a domestic disturbance involving a knife, while WLAF reported that Central Dispatch received the call at 12:42 p.m.
Once on scene, deputies found the 44-year-old man suffering from a stab wound, the station's report states. A medical helicopter was paged at 1:03 p.m. and landed at Heatherly's Point, next to Norris Lake, where a Campbell EMS unit met the patient before he was flown out, per WLAF's account.
Conflicting Accounts on the Victim's Condition and Destination
WLAF reported that the victim was airlifted to a Knoxville hospital, while the same-day account from WVLT specified he was flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center for treatment. WVLT additionally reported that Campbell County Sheriff Wayne Barton said the victim's condition was unknown at the time.
The severity of the wound was striking, according to one official who spoke with WLAF: a five-inch blade was reportedly buried to the hilt in the center of the back of the victim's neck. WLAF also reported that the victim was allegedly stabbed by a person known to the family, though that detail has not been independently corroborated elsewhere.
Suspect in Custody, Juvenile's Role Unclear
Campbell authorities took a suspect into custody following the stabbing, WLAF reported, with charges described as pending at the time of publication. Separately, the sheriff told WVLT that a 17-year-old juvenile was also involved in the incident, though he did not say whether charges would be forthcoming for that individual.
WVLT reported that detectives responded to investigate, process the scene and collect evidence, and that the investigation remained active and ongoing as of its report. No further updates on the victim's condition, the suspect's identity or any formal charges have been confirmed in the available reporting.
