ROCK SPRINGS — A Green River man is being held on a $75,000 cash or surety bond at the Sweetwater County Detention Center after allegedly throwing a knife into his wife’s shin.

Joseph Michael Norris, 52, faces one felony charge of aggravated assault and battery, which carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $10,000. 

According to court documents, the incident stems from a Nov. 28 incident where the Green River Police Department was dispatched for a welfare check. Norris’ wife told an officer dispatched to their home that Norris had allegedly stabbed her.

She told officers Norris entered the bedroom of their home and threatened to kill himself in front of her. Norris allegedly told her, “You will see that I mean it,” then positioned the hand holding the knife and arm in a throwing position. She alleged he then threw the knife at her as she was lying in bed, with the blade sticking upright in her left shin. She brushed the knife away, which caused her to start bleeding uncontrollably. She described the pain to the officer as greater than 10 on a scale of 1-10.

Norris drove her to Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County, with Norris allegedly concocting a lie to tell the hospital to keep him from being sent to jail. Norris’ wife told officers she wanted to tell hospital staff what happened, but didn’t because Norris was standing with her the whole time. She said she told hospital staff what Norris told her to say.

She received seven stitches and they returned home. 

Officers observed a long, straight cut that was about 3 centimeters in length with blue stitches. While officers looked at the injury, it started bleeding through the stitches, which resulted in an ambulance being called. The leg was bandaged and she was taken to MHSC.

Norris, when questioned by officers, said his wife was sitting on their bed with her legs crossed and making a turkey sandwich when she cut herself. Court documents state he later told officers he had been drinking that night and told a similar recounting of events to what his wife told them.