A 42-year-old man was arrested Sunday afternoon after he sat down behind a stranger on a Tulsa city bus and sliced her throat before fleeing the scene.
Tulsa Police quickly located Robert J. Rhoades and took him into custody, finding him with blood on his clothing and a bloody knife in his pocket.
Police said the victim was rushed to a hospital, where she underwent surgery. Police said that doctors are “hopeful” for her recovery and that she has been stabilized.
“Witnesses, including the bus driver, informed us that both Rhoades and the 43-year-old female victim boarded the bus at the Walmart stop on 81st and Lewis,” police said. “Rhoades sat directly behind her, and they had no prior interactions or verbal exchanges. As the bus arrived at the main station, Rhoades reached around and allegedly assaulted the victim by slicing her throat before leaving the scene.”
Detectives have gathered witness statements and have asked for video footage from the bus.
Rhoades has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon and false impersonation and is being held on a fugitive warrant from Missouri.
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[Featured image: Robert J. Rhoades/Tulsa County Jail]
