A war hero who lost both his legs in Iraq and had a bridge named in his honor just months ago has been arrested in DeKalb County for aggravated assault.
According to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, Eric Dewayne Frazier, 30, of McMinnville has been arrested in connection with a stabbing that happened Monday afternoon.
The victim, whose name has not been released, was airlifted to Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga with a stab wound to his left side. According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, a call was placed to central dispatch at 1:42 p.m. Monday reporting a stabbing. Ray said an altercation occurred between two men and one stabbed the other.
“Officers arrived at 1:51 p.m. and found the victim, who had a stab wound to the left side of his body,” the sheriff said.
Witnesses allegedly told officers Frazier was told to leave the property by the homeowner and an argument between Frazier and another person at the residence on McMinnville Highway ensued.
“The altercation became physical, and Frazier stabbed the victim in the left side of his body with a knife,” Ray said. “The victim suffered serious bodily injury, causing him to be airlifted to the hospital.”
Frazier reportedly admitted to detectives during an interview he had stabbed the victim. His bond was set at $10,000, and he will appear in court Nov. 10.
Frazier’s life changed forever on Oct. 23, 2006 when his Humvee ran over an IED in Iraq. Two of his fellow soldiers were killed. In an interview with the Standard in January 2007, Frazier said he died on the way to a medical facility in Iraq, but medical personnel were able to bring him back to life.
As a result of the explosion, Frazier had one leg amputated above the knee and one amputated below the knee. He also suffered two breaks of his pelvis, a broken jaw, and a lacerated kidney and liver.
A 2004 Warren County High School graduate, Frazier was deployed to Iraq as a Marine Reserve. He has served as the guest speaker at several area Veterans Day programs in recent years.
It was just months ago, in July, when Frazier had a bridge dedicated in his honor on the new four-lane to Woodbury. Another bridge on that road was named in memory of Joe Delong.