The Newberry man accused of stabbing a woman was arrested Wednesday.
Craig Lee, 61, was arrested at 11:16 a.m. on Northwest 7th Avenue in Newberry under a warrant for attempted murder. Lee was taken into custody without incident, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Kaley Behl said. His bond is set at $500,000.
An arrest warrant for attempted murder was issued against Lee after he stabbed a woman at her home on Northwest 3rd Place in Newberry Monday morning. The woman was hospitalized after being stabbed multiple times. Lee and the victim were acquainted with one another and Behl said the incident appeared to be domestic violence.
Lee escaped before law enforcement arrived at the crime scene, Behl said, and members of the public were advised to remain in their homes, both for their own safety and to avoid disrupting the search.
Local schools were in secure status for close to three hours, preventing anyone outside the schools from entering.
Jackie Johnson, Alachua County Public Schools’ spokesperson, said three schools were affected by the secure status: Newberry Elementary School, Oak View Middle School and Newberry High School.
She said each affected school notified parents regarding the matter.
Lee has a criminal history dating back to the 1990s, with charges including theft and drug possession.
Contact Omar at oateyah@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @OAteyah.
Omar Ateyah is a third-year journalism student and the Alligator's Race and Equity reporter. He previously served as the Alligator's crime reporter and as a news assistant on the Metro Desk. He enjoys going on long, thoughtful walks.
