A 64-year-old Clinton man decided to end an argument by grabbing the closest thing he could find and using it to strike the person with whom he’d been arguing. Unfortunately for the victim, the closest thing to the man was a bush axe.
Willie James Wortham, 64, of 106 Jacobs St., Clinton, was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to inflict serious injury after the incident that took place Thursday, Aug. 2.
According to reports, released Tuesday morning by the Clinton Police Department, the Neighborhood Improvement Team (NIT) arrived at a residence in the 100 block of Hayes Court to find Wortham sitting on a lawn chair in the front yard and a 51-year-old victim in the yard suffering from severe lacerations to the face.
Wortham explained to police that he and the victim were involved in a heated argument when he decided to reach for the bush axe and slice the man the face, effectively ending the confrontation.
The victim was taken to Sampson Regional Medical Center where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and later released.
Wortham was immediately arrested and charged. He was placed under a $50,000 secured bond and made his first court appearance in Clinton Friday.
According to the North Carolina Department of Corrections, Wortham has a history of convictions dating back to 1982. Those convictions include: operating a vehicle without a license (February 1982); forgery (April 1991); and DWI level 5 (April 2009).
To reach Doug Clark call 910-592-8137 ext. 123 or email to sisports@heartlandpublications.com.



















