A man in the US state of Iowa survived a horrific attack where he walked for nearly 20 minutes with a butcher knife blade lodged in his skull, leaving a trail of blood through a quiet neighbourhood.
A Drunken Argument Turns Violent
According to Sioux City police, the incident occurred on October 11 after an evening of drinking turned violent. Saville Thomas, 24, was in a basement on South Lyons Street with his cousin, Tariq Thomas, also 24, when an argument erupted. Court documents obtained by local station KTIV state that Tariq Thomas grabbed a large butcher knife, stabbing his cousin in the left collarbone before plunging the weapon into Saville's head with such force that the handle broke off.
The impact was so severe it left the blade embedded in the victim's skull. Despite this catastrophic injury, Saville Thomas managed to stagger out of the house and onto the street. He walked, dripping blood, for over a mile—a journey that typically takes around 20 minutes on foot—before finally collapsing.
Frantic Emergency Response and a Grisly Discovery
First responders received multiple frantic calls reporting a man "covered in blood." When officers reached Saville Thomas, the knife blade was still firmly lodged in his head, and he was suffering from deep wounds. Paramedics rushed him to a Sioux City hospital before he was airlifted to a specialist facility in Omaha, Nebraska.
There, surgeons performed a six-hour operation to successfully remove the blade. Following extensive treatment, doctors were able to release him. Investigators, meanwhile, followed the gruesome trail of blood back to the South Lyons Street home.
Inside, police found clear signs of a struggle and evidence that someone had tried to clean the scene. Authorities state that 34-year-old Mariah Thomas, who was present during the attack, allegedly attempted to wipe up blood in the basement and wash the driveway where the blood trail led to the street. During a subsequent search, various cleaning items, including bleach and hydrogen peroxide, were found laid out on the kitchen counter.
Sentencing and Pending Charges
Tariq Thomas pleaded guilty to Willful Injury Causing Serious Injury. Last Thursday, a judge sentenced him to up to 10 years in prison and imposed a $1,370 fine. A temporary no-contact order between Tariq and his victim has been extended to five years.
Mariah Thomas was arrested on October 20—the same day as Tariq—and charged with obstructing prosecution or defence. She has pleaded not guilty, waived her right to a speedy trial, and is scheduled for a pre-trial conference on December 18. Her sentencing is set for December 13.
The case was described as so brutal that investigators were initially stunned the victim survived long enough for emergency services to reach him.
