Hazel Park man accused of slashing roommate with box cutter

HAZEL PARK — Investigators say a dispute between two roommates almost turned deadly when one allegedly attacked the other with a box cutter.

Phillip Calhoun, 41, was arraigned before Magistrate Tanya Bowers in Hazel Park’s 43rd District Court Feb. 9 on a charge of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $5,000 fine if convicted. His bail was set at $250,000.

Calhoun’s attorney, Douglas Hampton, did not return requests for comment by press time.

The incident occurred Feb. 8 at Calhoun’s home in the 100 block of West Milton Avenue after he and his 29-year-old roommate had been drinking the night prior and throughout the morning.

At some point, the two men allegedly began arguing, and then the victim left to take a shower. That’s when police believe the suspect followed the victim and assaulted him, hitting him and then wrestling him to the floor.

The suspect reportedly produced a box cutter that police say he may have used for work, and allegedly slashed at the victim’s face, inflicting wounds and nearly slicing open a major artery on his neck that could have killed him. He then reportedly retreated upstairs, leaving the victim bleeding on the ground floor.

“It was very impulsive,” said Hazel Park Police Chief Brian Buchholz. “I think the fact that they were both intoxicated played a factor into the suspect’s poor decision-making. Fortunately enough, even though the victim was cut very deeply, it did not lead to his death.”

The chief said that the victim only needed stitches and was released from an area hospital the next day. As for Calhoun, police arrested him without incident. The chief said that Calhoun had also been wanted on several other warrants for drug offenses and traffic violations.

“Upon our arrival, (Calhoun) was upstairs and the victim was downstairs. There was no conflict and he did not offer any resistance,” Buchholz said. “(Calhoun) talked to our detectives the following day once he was sober. He wanted to claim the attack was in self-defense.”

Calhoun allegedly told police that the suspect had brandished two lighters and assaulted him, which led him to defend himself with the knife.

“But there had been a third person in the house who had seen the altercation between them,” Buchholz said. “(Calhoun’s) account of things did not match what the other witness observed.”