Docs reattach hand as Lowell man charged in grisly machete attack

A man had his left hand lopped off at the wrist by a machete-wielding rival during a fight in Lowell’s Acre neighborhood, but police were able to find it in time for doctors to reattach the extremity, according to authorities.

“It’s really scary,” said a man who lives in the area and declined to give his name. “I can’t believe that happened here.”

Domingo Ayala, 54, of Lowell was arraigned yesterday in Lowell District Court and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, assault with intent to maim, and mayhem, in connection with the Wednesday night machete attack, according to authorities.

He is being held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing Tuesday.

Authorities arrived at the housing projects on Market Street in Lowell and “immediately noticed … what appeared to be a severed left hand,” according to a police report.

The victim, who was not named, had already been transported to the hospital.

A witness told police that they saw the machete come down, and that the victim “took off running and screaming,” according to police. The witness said “that blood was everywhere,” according to the report.

When approached by authorities, Ayala voluntarily agreed to give his side of the story, and when he went to the police station “it was determined that Mr. Ayala would be charged for the injury sustained” by the victim, according to the report.

Neighbors appeared nervous to speak yesterday, with some shutting windows or simply shaking their heads when asked what had happened.

One man indicated he had heard something and pointed to the area where the alleged incident occurred, but when asked to elaborate, he backed away, shook his head and closed the window.

At a nearby pub, a bar manager said, “You’re in The Acre, buddy” — drawing nods from four other patrons — but declined to discuss the case further.

“It’s outrageous,” said one bar patron who declined to give his name. “I’ve been coming to this place for a couple of years and I haven’t heard anything like that. Sometimes loose change is taken from cars, but never violence like this. It’s ridiculous.”

Police were not able to glean anything from surveillance cameras in the area, according to authorities.

A man who stood outside the apartment building where authorities say the incident occurred refused to answer any questions. When Ayala’s name was mentioned, he blew cigar smoke in a reporter’s face before slowly meandering toward an overflowing dumpster where he threw it out.