An Amazon delivery driver saved a woman's life after allegedly witnessing her husband violently attacking her with a hammer inside their Minnesota home.
The driver said he was dropping off a package at the couple’s home in Chisago County earlier this month when he unexpectedly stumbled upon the gruesome scene, according to a criminal complaint obtained by CBS News.
He allegedly saw the unidentified victim covered in blood while a man, later identified as 72-year-old James Alan Johnson, attacked her with a hammer, according to KSTP News.
The driver rushed into the home and allegedly ordered Johnson to drop the hammer before calling 911, bringing the near-fatal attack to a stop that prosecutors allege was fueled by 'financial ruin.'
Johnson was arrested at the scene and charged with first-degree murder and second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. He is being held on $1 million bail.
His arrest unfolded on May 11, when an unidentified Amazon delivery driver pulled up to the couple’s home around 1pm and heard frantic screams coming from inside.
He told police that when he went to investigate, he rushed inside the home after seeing a woman with blood covering her hands and a man, later identified as Johnson, attacking her with the weapon.
Johnson allegedly handed the hammer to the witness after being ordered to drop it, and the driver then placed it on a table before calling 911 to report an assault involving a weapon in progress.
James Alan Johnson, 72, of Minnesota, was arrested after an Amazon delivery driver allegedly witnessed him attacking his wife with a hammer inside their home
Officers with the Wyoming Police Department responded to the home, where they found both the injured woman and the Amazon driver in the living area.
The victim was found lying on the living room floor with 'a large pool of blood' beneath her, according to charging documents obtained by People.
According to court records, two bloody indentations found on her head were 'consistent with being struck by a hammer several times.'
Investigators said the woman was also bleeding heavily from her arms and hands.
She allegedly told police her husband struck her twice in the head with a hammer, and she kicked him in the crotch in an effort to break free.
Authorities immediately arrested Johnson, who allegedly admitted his business was nearing financial collapse and said he wanted to kill his wife so she would not have to 'deal with' it, according to CBS.
The complaint states that he allegedly described himself as a general manager of a business nearing a 'crisis point' amid severe financial struggles.
Because of this, Johnson allegedly said he feared his wife would 'potentially be living off significantly reduced Social Security benefits' and that he 'did not want her to have to deal with that,' the documents allege.
The driver told police that he rushed inside the home after seeing a woman with blood covering her hands and Johnson allegedly attacking her before he ordered him to drop the hammer
While speaking with investigators, he allegedly admitted the plan to kill his wife began days earlier, though he initially intended to knock her unconscious before carrying out the murder.
Johnson is currently being held at the Chisago County Jail.
More than 12 million people just in the United States alone are affected by domestic violence every year, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, there are resources available to help.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is open 24/7 at 800-799-7233. Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (DAIS) can be reached by phone at 608-251-4445, by text 24/7 at 608-420-4638 or online at abuseintervention.org.