Man hospitalized after severing hand at park

By Aileen Wingblad • GANNETT NEWS SERVICE • November 17, 2009

A Birmingham man was hospitalized Sunday after intentionally sawing off his left hand in the woods at Kensington Metropark on the Oakland-Livingston county line.

Police aren’t releasing the name of the injured man, but said he was around 50 years old and had apparently tried to commit suicide earlier that day. He called the Milford police station at about 8:50 p.m. after severing his hand with a serrated knife. Milford police then notified Metroparks police about the incident.

Police said the man couldn’t provide his precise location when he called, so it took about 40 minutes to find him.

“It was a challenge initially, but we checked several areas and tracked him down to a wooded part of the park, near the disc golf course,” said Metroparks Police Chief George Phifer.

The man was alert and responded to Milford firefighters at the scene, Phifer said.

The severed hand wasn’t in the immediate vicinity, but was found several hours later with the help of an Oakland County K-9 unit, Phifer said. The hand was taken to the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, where the man is recovering.

Phifer said hospital officials indicated it likely couldn’t be reattached, due to the amount of time that had elapsed since it was cut off.

Near the severed hand, police found the knife and a cutting board used in the incident.

“Hopefully, now that he’s getting treated, he will get the help and support he needs,” Phifer said.