Woman stabbed 69-year-old in car theft attempt near Waverly, sheriff’s office says

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A 69-year-old man was stabbed four times during a car theft attempt near Waverly, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies were sent to an area near North 112th Street and Branched Oak Road around 6:40 a.m. Friday on a report of a stabbing.

When deputies arrived, the victim was fighting with a woman, later identified as 33-year-old Haley Gaston from Omaha, as she was trying to steal his vehicle.

Chief Deputy Ben Houchin said Gaston stabbed the victim twice in the left arm and twice in the abdomen.

“Her car was parked on the road at that point, and she was barefooted,” he said. “For a while we were concerned there was somebody else, but we did determine there is not.”

The victim is currently in surgery at a local hospital, according to Houchin.

Gaston was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and the use of a weapon to commit a felony.

Houchin said in car theft situations, it’s best not to fight the suspect, but instead, call authorities and get away.

“One of the best things you can do is just leave,” he said. “We can get a new car, you know. Get out of the area, get your phone and start calling 911.”

Rather than getting into a physical or verbal altercation, he said you can help authorities by being a good witness and getting a description of the suspect.

Houchin also said most cars have GPS and it’s possible to track down a vehicle after it’s been stolen.

“If it’s coming down that they’re attacking you and you have to fight, then you’ve gotta fight,” he said. “But the best thing you can do is if you can get an opportunity, don’t get in that situation and just take off and run.”

Houchin said car thefts are most common in the driveway of homes. They also happen in parking lots, garages, gas stations, ATMs and at stoplights.

“Luckily here in Lincoln-Lancaster County, we don’t have a lot of them, but I know people who live here go to other cities and things where they do, so it’s good to have these ideas and think about it,” he said.

The sheriff’s office spent the rest of the morning at the scene investigating but says there’s no danger to the public.