Birmingham Man Severs Own Hand

[gnome]

Ocasionaly I like to check out the Observer/Eccentric web site to see what's important for suburban folk. I really like their crime-watch stuff which usually involves some hapless fool who's driving without a license plate and who just so happens to have an ashtray filled with fresh roaches, a stolen air compressor in his trunk all while not wearing a seat belt.

But this story caught my eye:

http://www.hometownlife.com/article/...etropark-woods

A Birmingham man was hospitalized Sunday after intentionally sawing off his left hand in the woods at Kensington Metropark.
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 around 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 on 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 Hospital, 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.

Now I know the metro-park system is intended for outdoor activities, but I don't think severing body parts is part of the programs they offer. I just wonder if they will charge him with a crime, lord knows we'd hate to have this become a fad.

[ejames01]

Didn't some guy do that in the movie "SAW"?

[elganned]

Last I heard, it was not against the law to maim yourself. Witness all of the tattoo/piercing parlors around the area, with nary an indictment in sight.

[Jimaz]

This echoes the spectacular Aron Ralston story except he did it to save his life.

WARNING -- NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH:
What happened in his words

[ejames01]

Aron Ralston is AWESOME!

This echoes the spectacular Aron Ralston story except he did it to save his life.

WARNING -- NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH:
What happened in his words

[ccbatson]

Sad...mental illness is a bear.