Salem State Stabbing Suspect Held Without Bail In Upstate New York
SALEM (CBS/AP) — A man suspected of slashing a female student on a Salem State University shuttle bus then stabbing the driver when he came to her aid is being held without bail in upstate New York.
Timothy Wells, 25, of Woburn was arrested at about 10 p.m. Wednesday by New York State Police, about two hours after his car broke down outside of a toll booth on the Taconic Parkway in Chatham, N.Y., near the Massachusetts border.
According to New York State Police, the trooper who responded to the scene noted that Wells was "easily agitated and was inconsistent" while speaking with the officer.
Wells, who is wanted for two counts of attempted murder, was arraigned by the Town of Livingston Justice Court and remanded to Columbia County Jail without bail, pending extradition to Massachusetts.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports
Salem State Stabbings Arrest
Salem State police chief Gene Labonte told reporters Thursday they will attempt to bring him back to Massachusetts as soon as possible.
The attack happened at about 11:10 a.m. Wednesday.
The woman suffered a laceration to her arm and the driver received a minor puncture wound to the chest.
Neither injury was considered life-threatening.
Labonte said Wells is a Salem State senior who is currently on a voluntary leave of absence. He and the victims did not know each other, according to authorities.
Salem Police arrested Wells earlier this month when he was discovered carrying a four-inch knife, which is a violation of Salem's two-inch limit. He later failed to appear in court.
Campus police checked on him a few days later, calling it a psychiatric evaluation.
Labonte said an alert was put out just to check on his well-being.
The bus company, Cavalier Coach, issued this statement Thursday afternoon about the driver, who wishes to remain anonymous.
"Cavalier Coach is very proud of our driver who took quick action to protect the student from further harm and immediately notify the police. Thankfully, he is already home recovering and we trust he will be back to full health soon. We are grateful on his behalf for all the kind words and acknowledgements of his courage and clear thinking in this situation.
We understand the interest in wanting to hear more from him about the incident and the actions he took, but he chooses not step forward publicly. "
(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
