Businessman says he was attacked by a stranger in the woods: "Cuts my throat with a box cutter!"



PETERSBURG, Virginia -- A Virginia businessman says a stranger slashed his throat in the woods on Sunday afternoon, June 11th. According to WTKR, he was able to drive himself to the hospital after the attack.

It happened in Petersburg, Virginia.

Bill Sizemore told WTKR he was visiting the future site of his planned mini-golf and go-kart business on South Crater Road when he saw a man standing in the woods nearby. Sizemore, who said he prides himself on helping those in need, went to check on the man.

"When I get to about within 15 feet of him, I ask him, if he's OK. As I reach over, walk over and start pointing to the lake, he reaches behind me and cuts me -- cuts my throat with a box cutter," Sizemore said.

As the stranger ran off, Sizemore made a life-saving decision. Instead of calling 911, he chose to walk to his car and drive himself to Southside Regional Medical Center.

"I'm holding my neck, blood is going everywhere. As much as I was bleeding, I decided, it was better for me to get in my car and drive, a block, two blocks to the hospital than it was to call for assistance," Sizemore said.

He walked into the emergency room where he was rushed into surgery. The box cutter missed Sizemore's major arteries and muscles, but he lost a lot of blood in the attack.

Sizemore received four units of blood and had three hours of surgery. Doctors expect him to make a full recovery.

He was able to give police a very detailed description of the suspect, but using security video from a nearby convenience store, police identified a suspect and made an arrest while investigating a recent robbery.

The robbery suspect has not yet been charged with Sizemore's attack, but the investigation is ongoing.