All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
(Ethete, WY) – 33-year-old Fremont County man Thomas Surrell has been federally charged with felony Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, following a reported stabbing incident that occurred in Ethete on December 21.
Court documents state that at approximately 1:10 AM on December 21, FBI agents were contacted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Wind River Police Department (WRPD) regarding an assault incident occurring on Ethete Road in Ethete. Surrell was reported to have stabbed an individual in the hand, with responding officers noting that “they were able to see bone in the wound on the victim’s hand.”
The victim was soon transported to the hospital in Lander for medical treatment, where she told agents that Surrell was “intoxicated and had recently used methamphetamine” when he came to her residence on Ethete Road.
Surrell then became “agitated” and “mean,” the victim stated, and when she left the residence to get help, Surrell “continued to threaten” her and “brandished a kitchen knife.”
The victim told investigators that Surrell then said things to the effect of, “Well, I should kill you now,” and “I’m gonna cut you.”
The victim then put her hands up to cover her head and face, when Surrell slashed the back of her left hand with the knife, court documents state.
The victim then walked several miles to a neighbor’s house to contact law enforcement, and when officers responded, Surrell was taken into Tribal custody.
Medical staff later advised that “the tendons on the victim’s hand were cut, which would require surgery to repair, followed by approximately six to eight weeks of recovery.”
Officers later located a kitchen knife on the floor of the kitchen near the dining table inside the residence, which “appeared to have blood on it.”
A warrant was soon issued for Surrell’s arrest on December 23. At this time, Surrell’s hearing dates have not yet been set.
The maximum punishment for a felony Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury charge is 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
County 10 will provide updates in the case, which can be found here.