Jacob Couch, Alabama father of two fights for life after hatchet attack at Tucson, Arizona bus stop nearly decapitated him. Dad had been traveling with wife, Kristen, when, Daniel Michael, carrying a hatchet attacked the husband. Suspect likely to face new additional charges
A father of two is fighting for his life, 11 days after being nearly decapitated by an axe-wielding man as he and his wife were making their way home back to Alabama.
Jacob Couch, 32, was sitting on a bus stop bench in Tucson, Arizona with his wife Kristen when 25-year-old Daniel Michael confronted the pair on April 5.
Tucson hatchet attack nearly decapitates Alabama dad
Michael was allegedly carrying a hatchet through Tuscon’s downtown area and began yelling at the couple, KOLD reported, citing court records.
The couple sought to leave only for the assailant to launch his violent attack, targeting Jacob Couch.
The unprovoked attack led to an artery in Jacob Couch’s neck being cut in half along with the man being struck in the skull.
Couch was rushed to nearby Banner University Medical Center, where he underwent surgery and was placed on life support.
The episode led to doctors diagnosing Couch with an anoxic brain injury as a result of the brain being deprived of oxygen for an extended period.
‘I’m still in shock,’ Kristen Couch told KOLD. ‘Seeing your husband get almost decapitated and being the only one to help like it’s, hard.’
Jacob and Kristen Couch were traveling by bus from California back home to Alabama following a vacation. The two decided to stop in Tucson to check out the area. It’s then when tragedy struck.
Jacob Couch Alabama dad described as non confrontational
The Crouch family are bracing for the worse, amid fears the father of two won’t survive his injuries
‘He’s not expected to make it right now,’ Couch’s younger brother Luke told KOLD. ‘We’ve just been taking it how we can.’
The couple, who had been married for 11 years, had been living in Los Angeles for nearly a year after the stillbirth of their son in May 2024.
‘We were coming home because we just couldn’t get it together like we just needed our family,’ Kristen said.
The two were on their way home to Arab, Ala. where their 13- and 15-year-old daughters were waiting for them.
‘He was a very non-confrontational person,’ Kristen Couch said. ‘He wasn’t aggressive. He was kind, he was so kind.’
Michael was identified by police through security footage which showed him ‘calmly leaving the scene.’ The wanted man was captured three days after the attack.
Axe wielding suspect likely to face additional charges
He admitted to being in the area but denied attacking Couch when police first questioned him.
Officials discovered a hatchet and the clothing worn by the attacker in Michael’s home.
The suspect claims to have been drinking and not remembering having any contact with Couch.
Authorities said the 25-year-old suspect remembered confronting Jacob Couch, but details as to what happened between the two men remain unclear.
‘If you’re going downtown when you’re drunk carrying a large machete like that, you have no other intentions other than to cause harm to somebody,’ Luke Couch said. ‘He went down there looking for trouble, and it just so happened to be my brother who is not going to make it home from this.’
Michael was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, and will likely face upgraded charges in the event Couch passes away, including homicide.
Michael is being held in Pima County Jail on a $1 million bond, according to jail records.
