Ax attack results in charges for Lawton man

A Lawton man is in jail, accused of hitting another man in the head with an ax.

Michael Wayne Hurd, 64, of Lawton, made his initial appearance Monday in Comanche County District Court where he received a felony charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and two misdemeanor charges of malicious injury to property under $1,000 and possession of drug paraphernalia, records indicate. The felony is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Lawton police were called shortly before 4 a.m. Oct. 19 to 2306 NW 44th and arrived to find Hurd outside the home, shouting and appearing to be distraught, Officer Matthew Mitchell stated. He said he didn’t do anything wrong and that police should shoot him, the probable cause affidavit states. He was detained after he started banging on the door and screaming for help.

Hurd told Mitchell he’d been next door and had hit a man in the head with an ax, the affidavit states. He was unable to stand or sit, was extremely agitated and had blood on his hands, according to investigators.

“While speaking with Hurd, he was clearly under the influence of an unknown substance,” Mitchell stated.

A man at the home showed police video he’d taken of the incident. Hurd was seen entering the front porch and dumped unidentified drug paraphernalia, hand sanitizer and a lighter to the ground before entering the house, according to the affidavit.

A witness saw Hurd holding a gun and instructing the three people inside to get on the ground. One man flipped a table and, he said, Hurd then hit him in the head with an ax, Mitchell stated. The victim was taken to a local hospital and later transferred to OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City for treatment.

A woman at the house said he shoved her to the floor and stood over her, at one point putting the gun to her cheek and threatening her, the affidavit states.

Hurd is held on $30,000 bond. He returns to court at 3 p.m. Nov. 27 for his preliminary hearing conference.