SEBASTIAN — She thought she was going to die.
Steven Wayne Artis
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
But, a woman who was held at knifepoint at a man’s home was able to escape, dial 911 and then hang up. She knew the police would still come, and she didn’t want the man – identified as Steven Wayne Artis – to see her talking to officers by phone, reports show.
“I knew they would send the police. If he would’ve seen me on the phone, he would’ve gotten worse,” the woman told a Sebastian police officer, detailed in an arrest report. “I believed he was going to slit my throat.”
Police arrested Artis, 40, of the 8100 block of 126th Street, Sebastian, on charges of attempted murder, kidnapping, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony and resisting arrest without violence. Artis was held Monday at the Indian River County Jail on $116,000 bond.
The woman told officers she was dating Artis and went to see him Saturday at his residence. She said Artis was “doing drugs all day and night,” reports show.
The next day, Artis accused the woman of hiding his drugs, police said. When the woman walked out of the home, Artis put her in a choke hold, reports show.
The woman briefly lost consciousness, authorities said. She said Artis pulled her back into the kitchen and threw her on the floor.
Artis then grabbed a steak knife and pulled the woman’s head back, exposing her throat, reports show. The woman said Artis told her “he was going to end my life and then his,” police reports show.
The woman pushed the blade away, broke free from Artis’ grip, grabbed her phone and ran outside, reports show. Artis denied the accusations against him.
Police arrested Artis and took him to the county jail.
Artis was ordered to not have any contact with the woman. Artis has an arraignment at 8:45 a.m. Jan. 29, 2021, court records show.