Scott Flowers
Tenaha officers respond to knifing at residence
Emergency personnel responded to a 911 call at a residence in Tenaha on Sunday evening involving an incident between a father, and a son, and a knife.
Tenaha Deputy City Marshal Kelly Ray arrived at the residence located at 312 Motley Street at 5:30 p.m. Deputy Marshal Ray attempted to reach someone inside of the house by knocking on the front and side door of the home.
A man, who was later identified as James Adams, 54, of Tenaha, eventually answered the front door, and led the way to a back room of the house.
Once in the room, Joe Adams, 26, of Tenaha, the son of James Adams, was located with a severe laceration to his right hand.
Deputy Marshal Ray reported that it appeared the tendons had been cut from his thumb to his index finger, and sliced down to where his thumb was barely attached to his hand. According to Deputy Marshal Ray when she questioned the elder Adams if he had cut his son, he stated “yes.” When further questioned if the act was done in self-defense, according to Deputy Marshal Ray, James Adams stated “no.”
At this time Tenaha Deputy City Marshal Bryan Grey arrived at the scene, and Ray requested that Grey retrieve her medical bag from her vehicle. Ray wrapped Joe Adams hand with gauze, and applied ice until Care One EMS arrived at the scene.
Deputy Marshal Ray stated that Adams had lost quite a lot of blood, and his blood pressure was extremely low when EMS arrived. EMS personnel decided at that time that it was necessary to life-flight Adams, and a landing zone was requested, whereby the Tenaha Volunteer Fire Department assisted by setting one up at Rudy’s truck stop.
According to Deputy Marshal Ray, the incident is alleged to have occurred as the result of an altercation between the father and son, where Joe Adams entered the home with some drinks behind his back, and the father questioned what he was holding behind his back.
Adams reportedly attempted to show his father what he had behind his back, and the father, James Adams, told his son that he was lying. When the younger Adams requested his father leave him alone and that he was going to the other end of the house, James Adams allegedly picked up a knife and lunged at his son. When he did this, Joe Adams reportedly put up his hands in defense, and the father allegedly slashed his son’s hand with the knife.
Joe Adams was transported by Care Plus EMS to the landing zone, from where a PHI medical helicopter flew Adams to Longview for treatment of his injury.
James Adams was arrested at the scene and was charged with aggravated assault causing bodily injury, family violence. He is being held at the Shelby County Jail.
