Deputies: Oak Ridge man attacked wife, tried to stab son

An Oak Ridge man assaulted his wife and tried to stab her adult son Monday, deputies said.

The Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office on Tuesday charged Joseph D. Haven, 29, with first-degree assault, armed criminal action and third-degree domestic assault.

According to a probable-cause statement filed in the case by Cape Girardeau County sheriff’s deputy D. Oslund, deputies went to an address on Route B near Oak Ridge to check a report of a domestic assault shortly after 7 p.m. Monday.

When deputies arrived, the victim said her husband had begun to hit her in the face when she tried to drive to the emergency room for an unrelated illness, Oslund wrote.

The victim said Haven took her cellphone and vehicle keys, slashed her tire and fled, according to the statement.

While deputies tried to find Haven, they were summoned back to the residence, where Haven had returned, forced his way into the home and wielded a knife while arguing with the victim’s son, Oslund wrote.

Deputies arrived and arrested Haven, who though unarmed at the time of his arrest, said, “If it’s not in my pocket, it’s on the recliner,” in reference to a knife, Oslund wrote.

The victim’s son told deputies he and Haven had fought when Haven returned to the residence, and Haven had tried to stab him during the altercation, according to the statement.

“[The victim’s son] had a visible, swollen scrape mark on his sternum that he said was caused by Mr. Haven’s knife,” Oslund wrote.

Haven’s bond was set at $50,000 with the condition he have no contact with the woman or her son and stay at least 500 feet away from their residence and places of employment.

tgraef@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3627