SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah, June 24, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — A 29-year-old man has been charged with aggravated assault after a stabbing aboard a TRAX train in Salt Lake County.
The suspect, Michael George Caraway, was charged with a first-degree felony in the case. His bail was set at $20,000.
A probable cause statement filed in the case says a Utah Transit Authority officer was called to the Fashion Place West TRAX station, in Murray, at about 10:20 a.m. on a report of a fight on the southbound Blue Line train.
“The complainant, who’s information was not obtained, stated that one of the combatants, a Black male, got off the train at Murray Central platform, and was carrying a very large knife,” the statement says. “It was also stated that the other combatant was still on the train and had been stabbed.”
UTA dispatch forwarded a surveillance photo of the only Black man to leave the train at that stop. Two UTA officers met with the victim at the Crescent View station, in Sandy.
“Officer Olsen stated he saw the victim’s shirt had blood soaking through it in
the upper left shoulder blade area,” the probable cause statement says. “It was also stated by Officer G. Olsen that the victim had a laceration to his
right hand. The information given to Officer G. Olsen from the victim was that a black male just started attacking him for no reason.”
The victim said the suspect exited at the Murray Central station, and was a Black man wearing a white T-shirt and carrying a backpack and white blanket.
“It was after that when the victim stated he was having a hard time breathing and was in bad pain,” the statement says. “The victim was transported by Sandy Ambulance to IMC Hospital.”
A suspect who appeared to match the photo was located at the Gallivan station, in Salt Lake City.
“It was relayed that the suspect had a long knife in his hand,” the statement says. The man, later identified as Caraway, was taken into custody without incident.
“Mr. Caraway is a multistate offender,” the statement says. “The large fixed knife with a black handle was transported back to the UTAPD in a knife box and Mr. Caraway’s backpack was also brought back. The knife had blood stains throughout the length of the knife. The white blanket seen with Mr. Caraway as he exited the train was hanging out of his backpack. There were also blood stains located on one of the straps to the backpack as well as on the black and white blanket.”
Post Miranda, Caraway told officers he was talking to himself on the train when he “said something that may have offended another passenger, but he stated he was misunderstood. Mr. Caraway stated he stabbed the other passenger. Mr. Caraway stated he was sitting down and the other passenger attacked him. He then stated they were on the ground in a scuffle and that is when he saw a knife go across the floor. He stated he grabbed it and stabbed the other passenger in the back by his left shoulder in self-defense.
“He then stated he dropped the knife but then picked it back up and exited the train and got on the next train to go north.”
The victim, who was being treated at the hospital when a detective arrived to speak to him, was found to have a black knife sheath inside the front right pant pocket of his jeans.
Platform security cameras later revealed that the victim stood up and attempted to leave the train with his bicycle at the Meadowbrook TRAX station, at 188 W. 3900 South, in Salt Lake City, when the suspect Caraway and victim got into a scuffle. Video from inside the train has been requested by investigators.
