WOODBURN, Ore. -- An auctioneer had his throat slashed at a Woodburn auction yard on Tuesday, sheriff's deputies said.

Witnesses said a man got into an argument with the auctioneer during an auction just before noon and cut his neck with a box cutter.

Pete Hoogenbasch, who witnessed the incident, said the attacker seemed to think auctioneer Chuck Boyce was ignoring him.

"He flipped out over something real simple, nothing major," Hoogenbasch said. "And then the guy came up and he was cussing at him like a trooper. Then Chuck made a crack about that and the guy came up on the cart and cut him."

Marion County sheriff's spokeswoman Lt. Sheila Lorance said Boyce was taken to a hospital but his condition is unknown at this time.

Several people started chasing the suspect and yelling at others to catch him, which led Michael Melbye to step in.

"I tried to grab him over there because I thought he stole something," Melbye said.

He said he didn't see the attack but noticed the man frantically trying to get away. He said the suspect tried to hitch a ride with a passing driver, but Melbye got a hold of him.

"He backed up and he says, 'Get away from me or I'm going to cut you,'" Melbye said. "And he opened up his box knife and I said, 'Man, that's not going to do you any good. What the heck, you know? Why you want to get in trouble over something you stole?' Well, I didn't know he cut Chuck."

The man who slashed Boyce's throat jumped over a fence on the north side of the auction yard and ran toward a nearby mobile home park, Lorance said.

Deputies said they found and arrested Jeremiah D. Thomasson, 22, at about 3 p.m. on charges of first-degree assault, attempted murder and unlawful use of a weapon. They said they found Thomasson about a mile away in the mobile home park.

The auction continued after the attack with another man working as the auctioneer.

According to the auction yard's Web site, it auctions general merchandise, poultry, vehicles and nursery stock every Tuesday. The Woodburn Auction Yard is located on S Pacific Highway.

Auction regulars said they want the man who attacked Boyce to be punished.

"I know there's a lot of Chuck's friends out here who'd like to take him behind the barn and teach him lessons about how to treat people," Hoogenbasch said.

A fund has been set up in Boyce's name to help with medical expenses. Donations can be made at any U.S. Bank branch.

Auctioneer's Throat Slashed During Auction

---

Related:
Link: WoodburnAuction.com