A man hired to renovate a Gainesville house was charged with attempted murder after police said he attacked the homeowner and her friend with a machete-type blade early Friday morning.
Kalsie A. King, 52, got into an argument with the owner and her friend late Thursday night at the house, located on SE 15th Avenue, Gainesville Police officer Summer Hallett said.
Hallett said the owner was letting King live in her house while he was refurbishing it.
King left the house after the argument, Hallett said, but returned around midnight and tried to force his way inside.
The owner's friend stopped King from entering. When King left, the two called police, who said King had not done anything illegal because the owner was allowing him to live there, Hallett said.
King then came back to the house a third time and began arguing with the owner's friend.
The argument escalated and King attacked the friend with a machete-type blade, aiming for his head and neck, according to King's arrest report. The man defended against the blows with his left arm and suffered severe injuries.
King then approached the owner and asked for her keys and money so he could go to Sarasota, where he was born, according to the report.
When she refused, King attacked her with the blade, cutting her hands.
She tried to call 911 but King knocked the phone out of her hands, then tried to find her friend to "deal with him," the report stated.
When he was unable to find the man, King fled on a bicycle, Hallet said. Police found King in the neighborhood around 1:30 a.m. wearing a bloody shirt, Hallett said.
When questioned, King admitted to attacking the victims, stating he was tired of the friend treating him badly, according to the report.
