Man Cuts off Ex-Girlfriend's Fingers in Vicious Attack

Orlando Sentinel
6:29 PM PST, December 29, 2009

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A man accused of beating his former girlfriend several times in the past returned Tuesday to slash her hands while their 4-year-old daughter was inside the woman's Orange County home.

Investigators said 37-year-old John Patrick Crimins went to Moriah Mace's Lockhart home shortly after midnight and severely cut her hands, as well as the hands of a man — possibly severing some of their fingers with a "sharp-edged weapon."

The male victim, whose name was not released, told sheriff's deputies Crimins also struck him with a blunt object, perhaps a baseball bat.

Investigators said the child was not injured, but did not confirm if the little girl witnessed her father's violent attack on her mother.

Crimins, who is on the run, faces charges of aggravated battery, if captured.

Deputies said the scene outside the victims' home Tuesday after the attack was chaotic.

When sheriff's deputies arrived, they found a man stretched out on the front yard of the house. He had severe lacerations on his hands, reports show. Mace also had serious cuts and bruises on her hands. Both victims were transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center. Their wounds were not life-threatening.

Sheriff's deputies located Crimins' vehicle, a red Chevy pickup, outside a nearby 7-Eleven convenience store. Deputies drew their weapons and entered the store, but Crimins was not inside.

Investigators did not say if they have any leads or tips in the case.

Court records show Tuesday's attack on Mace happened while Crimins awaits trial on separate domestic battery charges. He is accused of beating Mace in August at the same home. Reports show an argument escalated when Mace told Crimins that she hated him.

"[Crimins] slammed [Mace] in to the wall by her hair then tackled her to the floor," according to the sheriff's report from that incident. "He grabbed her hair and continued to slam her head on the tile floor."

Although he had bonded out of the Orange County Jail, his conditions of release in that case prevented him from contacting the victim or possessing weapons.

Records show Crimins also was convicted on charges of domestic battery in 2007. He was placed on supervised probation and ordered to stay away from Mace.

In that incident, Crimins had "punched [Mace] in the stomach and kicked her several times in the back," a sheriff's report shows. When deputies arrived at their home, they had witnessed Crimins carrying his daughter out of the bedroom.

From: http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-woman-attacked,0,859030.story