A Zimbabwean man, Golden Makusha, 52, who had recently returned to America after holidaying in Zimbabwe with his family, struck his wife with a hammer in a frenzied attack.
Makusha of 9600 Morning Walk Drive, Hagerstown, Maryland,
has been charged with two counts of first and second-degree assault,
respectively, arson in the first degree, two counts of reckless endangerment,
and other offenses, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.
Makusha was found lying unconscious on top of an overturned
mower in the garage with two vehicles on fire, an apparent arson.
Makusha’s bloodied wife, who was found at a neighbour’s
house by responding officers, said the accused attempted to strangle her by
wrapping his hands around her neck, and that when their adult child intervened,
he tried to assault her.
"The victim was covered in blood due to severe
lacerations to the top and left side of her head. Injuries to her hands and
arms were also observed," the sheriff's office said in a statement.
While emergency medical personnel were treating Makusha's
wife, the sheriff said, smoke started emitting from the couple's residence
garage, forcing firefighters to storm in, where they found Makusha
"unconscious, lying on top of an upside-down push mower. A bottle of
lighter fluid was located on the garage floor next to him."
The sheriff added: "Two vehicles within the garage
were actively burning when entry was made. Members of the Community Volunteer
Fire Company of District 12, the Funkstown Volunteer Fire Company, the Halfway
Volunteer Fire Company, and the Hagerstown Fire Department were on scene and
extinguished the fire."
"Makusha was removed from the garage and initially transported to Meritus Medical Center but later flown to Bay View Burn Center for further treatment. The victim was transported to Meritus Medical Center to treat her injuries; no one else was injured as a result of the incident."
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