Melvin Blackburn (Bingham County Sheriff’s Office).
A heated dispute in Idaho took a violent turn when Melvin Blackburn, frustrated about having to walk home from the hospital, attacked a woman with nunchucks. The woman, who Blackburn lived with, had refused to pick him up, sparking the altercation, according to local authorities.
Blackburn, a 67-year-old resident of Blackfoot, allegedly confronted the woman upon his return, as reported by the East Idaho News. Citing court documents, the report reveals that Blackburn had visited the hospital the previous evening, claiming he had been punched by the woman during an altercation.
After receiving medical attention, Blackburn walked back home, where he soon found himself embroiled in an argument with the woman. Police reports indicate that during the heated exchange, Blackburn retrieved a pair of nunchucks and allegedly assaulted the woman with them.
The woman called 911 and officers were dispatched to the home, where they found the woman with bruises on her arm and back. Blackburn allegedly claimed he used the nunchucks to defend himself from the woman after she attacked him upon arriving home from the hospital. He said he swung the martial arts weapon at the woman but never actually hit her, according to the court documents obtained by East Idaho News.
Blackburn claims that the woman was upset that he went to the hospital, East Idaho News reports.
Police say Blackburn, whose story allegedly changed several times, had no injuries despite saying he was attacked.
The woman told police Blackburn was sitting on a stool when he started swinging the nunchucks at her. She allegedly knocked him off the stool and ran away, then called police.
Blackburn was arrested and charged with felony aggravated battery with an enhancement because of the use of a deadly weapon. He could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted, East Idaho News reports.