Hudson Store Clerk Attacked With Knife, Artery Severed

HUDSON, FL — The Pasco County Sheriff's Office has arrested a man accused of attempted homicide for attacking a store clerk with a knife.

According to the sheriff's office, at 3 p.m. on Tuesday Daniel Duane Stiles II, 42, of New Port Richey stole a 9-inch corn knife from a store in Hudson and used it to break the anti-theft device on a $270 chainsaw for sale at the store. When a store employee tried to prevent him from leaving the store with the stolen chainsaw, Stiles threatened him with pepper spray.

As Stiles walked through the parking lot, the store clerk tried to stop him and deputies said Stiles attacked her with the corn knife. She put up her arms to protect her face and Stiles slashed her bicep, left wrist and right hand, severing an artery.

Deputies said her wounds would have been fatal if she hadn't received quick medical attention.

Stiles fled on a bicycle south across State Road 52 and was later apprehended by deputies who found him hiding under a trailer on Teak Street in Hudson.

Stiles admitted to attacking the clerk with the knife and showed deputies where it was hidden. Deputies later located the stolen chainsaw and the bicycle splattered with the store clerk's blood.

To protect the identity of the victim, the sheriff's office has not released the name or address of the store.

Stiles was charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, petit theft, resisting a merchant during a retail theft and tampering with an anti-shoplifting device. He's being held on $65,000 bail.