Mrs. Gina Jones nee Budd, 23, a mother of two who was stabbed by her husband, Clarence Jones, 30, still appears to be in a state of shock following the attack which occurred about 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, November 3.
She was walking with Clarence, from whom she separated 9 months ago, taking their children, Clarence, Jr., 3, and Dwayne, 1, to the bus stop in front of Pallotti High School. The children were to take the bus to Sandhill and spend the weekend with their father.
Clarence, Sr., was carrying Dwayne in his arms while she held Clarence, Jr., by his hand.
“While we were walking Clarence kept asking me to take him back, and I kept telling him no,” said Gina in an interview today at the surgical ward at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.
When they reached the foot of the overpass in front of Pallotti, her husband dropped the baby and stabbed her in the left side of her body, said Gina.
“At first I thought that he had hit me, but then I felt a cramp and I saw the knife in his hand and I realized that he had stabbed me,” said Gina.
Clarence then threatened to kill her. He told her that if he couldn’t have her, then nobody else would, she added.
Gina began to struggle as her husband held her by her neck with one hand, with the knife in his other hand.
“I figured that he was trying to cut my throat, so I held on to the hand in which he had the knife,” said Gina.
During the struggle Gina was cut on the left cheek and on her head.
It was when Clarence Jones saw a policeman coming that he let her go, threw the knife away and began to walk towards the bus stop, said Gina.
“A lady told me to sit on the sidewalk and shortly afterwards an ambulance came and took me to the hospital,” said Gina.
The doctor who examined her told her that she was lucky because if the knife had gone a little further it would have punctured her left lung.
Gina revealed that she and Clarence were married for 3 years. During that time Clarence beat her on several occasions and that was why she broke up with him.
Clarence Jones, Sr., appeared today in #1 Magistrate’s Court. He was charged with attempted murder, grievous harm, aggravated assault and threatening words. He was denied bail and remanded into custody until December 5.