HSV man arrested for alleged attack, biting man’s thumb off
A Hot Springs Village man was arrested Sunday after allegedly attacking another Village resident, beating him in the face with a rock and biting the man’s thumb off.
Samuel T. McKaig, 54, who lists an Agua Vista Lane address, was taken into custody shortly after noon by Hot Springs Village police and charged with first-degree battery, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. He remained in custody Monday in lieu of $5,000 bond and is set to appear May 22 in Garland County District Court.
According to the affidavit, HSV police responded to the area of Hartura Way regarding a disturbance and upon arrival found a male victim on the ground covered in blood. Moments later, a vehicle driven by McKaig pulled up, and a handgun was found on the passenger seat, prompting officers to take McKaig into custody.
The victim was transported to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs for treatment of multiple injuries, including a severed thumb, bite marks and severe lacerations to the face and head. The affidavit notes he was being taken into surgery where doctors “hoped to save his thumb.”
McKaig reportedly claimed the victim had attacked him with a club and then pulled a gun on him. He said multiple shots were fired, and he was hit in the right hand by a bullet. Officers noted McKaig had a small laceration on his right hand, but no gunshot wound.
Officers responded to CHI and spoke to the victim’s wife, who stated she and her husband were walking down Hartura Way when a passing vehicle swerved and almost hit them, forcing them to jump into a nearby ditch.
She said her husband yelled at the motorist to “stay in your own lane” and the motorist, whom the couple reportedly recognized as McKaig, backed his vehicle up and asked the victim what he had said. The victim’s wife said her husband repeated his request for McKaig
aig to stay in his lane and suddenly McKaig exited his vehicle, knocked the victim to the ground and began beating on him.
She said she ran to get help and eventually got into McKaig’s vehicle to go get help. The affidavit notes officers spoke to the victim at the hospital and his account of the incident matched that of his wife.
The victim noted he did try to get his gun to protect himself, but McKaig took it away from him. Then he said McKaig bit his thumb off, severing it in half. He also said McKaig grabbed a nearby rock at one point and struck him repeatedly in the head and face.
A resident in the area reportedly captured the attack on video which the affidavit notes shows McKaig’s vehicle swerving into the lane where the victim and his wife were walking. Then McKaig is seen backing up and getting out and approaching the victim as the victim “tries to retreat.”
McKaig is seen taking the victim to the ground and beating him as the victim’s wife runs away. McKaig then left the scene shortly before police arrived.