Racine woman accused of stabbing 59-year-old man in wheelchair

RACINE -- A 57-year-old woman is facing multiple charges after allegedly stabbing a disabled man in his apartment.

Carole Knudtson is facing one count aggravated battery, one count resisting an agency and one count second-degree recklessly endangering safety after the alleged incident.

According to a criminal complaint, Racine police officers responded to a rescue call near Maryland and Kentucky on Wednesday, Feb. 6. Upon arrival, the officers found the victim, a 59-year-old man, lying up against his apartment door.

At the hospital, officers learned the victim had a history of strokes and had been in a wheelchair when attacked. He said that Knudtson came over to his apartment "out of the blue" and stabbed him in the back of the neck with a knife. He said he fell out of his wheelchair while being attacked, and a medical evaluation found three smaller stab wounds and an injury to his left hand. The victim told officers he thought Knudtson grabbed the knife from his kitchen.

Prior to going to the hospital to meet with the victim, officers conducted a protective sweep of the apartment and found Knudtson laying in the bed, covered with a blanket. Officers told Knudtson to identify herself, and received no response. They told her to show her hands, which she did not do. One officer tried to pull back the blanket to reveal Knudtson's hands while another officer tried to initiate contact with Knudtson's arm while standing by the side of the bed.

When one officer tried to place Knudtson's right arm in an escort hold, Knudtson rapidly turned over and revealed she was holding a kitchen knife in her right hand. She lunged toward one of the officers while holding the knife above her head.

The officer fell to the floor, but immediately stood up. Both officers drew their weapons, ordering Knudtson to drop the knife. Knudtson remained standing next to the bed, holding the knife above her head with both officers nearby.

Knudtson had to be tazed before she released the knife, and was taken into custody. At the jail, Knudtson uttered that she stabbed the victim without being asked or prompted.