GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A 51-year-old man's foot was severed Sunday when his girlfriend intentionally rammed a car he was getting into after arguing with her, according to the Gainesville Police Department.
The man, Richard Knight, was thrown 20 feet and the impact severed his foot, police said.
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The girlfriend, 48-year-old Jessica Bulla, left the scene but was found later by police. When found, she was in the passenger seat of her Toyota Highlander attempting to jab herself in the neck with a ballpoint pen, police said.
Bulla has been charged with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of leaving the scene of a crash and one count of driving on a suspended license.
Bulla and Knight live together in a domestic relationship and have a significant history of domestic violence, police said.
According to witnesses, Bulla and Knight were arguing Sunday at a Walmart on NE 12th Avenue in Gainesville. When Knight's friend pulled up to give him a ride, Bulla intentionally drover her crossover SUV into the friend's car as Knight was attempting to get in the backseat, police said.
After his foot was severed by the impact, several witnesses applied a tourniquet to Knight's leg, which likely saved his life, police said. Both Knight and the driver were taken to Shands Hospital Gainesville. Knight was in stable condition Sunday.
After officers responded to the crash scene, a BOLO was issued for Bulla's vehicle, which was found on NE Waldo Road. When Bulla was found, she showed signs of impairment and had apparently just been released from Shands for alcoholism, police said.
She admitted she got into an argument with Knight at Walmart, police said.
Bulla was arrested and booked into the Alachua County Jail without benefit of bond.