A hammer attack left a Pitcairn man in critical condition Thursday night, but police said Friday the 71-year-old is expected to survive his injuries.
A woman called police to her Wall Avenue home just before midnight because her son, she said, attacked a man with a hammer.
Police arrived and found a man in a pool of blood inside the home and 42-year-old William Jackson looking out the window of the neighboring home on Wall Avenue, according to the criminal complaint.
Mr. Jackson was taken to Forbes Regional Hospital for a mental health evaluation. The injured man was also taken to Forbes in critical condition. Authorities said the man is expected to survive.
It is not clear whether the man is related to Mr. Jackson or his family.
Inside the victim’s home, police found blood stains on the walls and floor near the landing leading to the home’s basement, according to the complaint. They also found a blood-covered hammer on the floor.
Mr. Jackson’s mother, who made the initial 911 call, said her son came into the home sometime between 11:30 p.m. and midnight. She said her grandson, Mr. Jackson’s son, let him in through the basement.
The victim awoke and confronted Mr. Jackson as he came up the stairs from the basement, telling him he wasn’t supposed to be there, according to the complaint. The two argued, the woman said, at which point Mr. Jackson came up the stairs and began “punching and kicking” the victim. He took the victim’s phone and tossed it into the street outside and then left.
Police spoke to Mr. Jackson in the hospital, according to the complaint. He allegedly admitted to assaulting the man but denied using a hammer.
Mr. Jackson is charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and making terroristic threats. Court records did not list an attorney as of Friday afternoon.
First Published: August 11, 2023, 6:48 p.m.