Matt Elofson/ Media General News Service
Published: March 22, 2008

Authorities arrested Samson’s mayor Friday after he confronted and stabbed a 44-year-old man he found with his wife, according to Lt. Bill Chapman of the DeFuniak Springs, Fla., Police Department.

Police say Clay Mchugh King, the 43-year-old Samson mayor, attacked Stephen Hunter Oates in the parking lot of a Super 8 Motel and then chased him into a room at the motel and continued to assault him with a knife, according to a statement by the DeFuniak Springs Police. Oates, of Chancellor, suffered injuries to the abdomen area of his body, and was in critical condition at Healthmark Regional Medical Center on Friday afternoon. The assault happened around 1:45 a.m.
Friday.

“It just had to do with his wife being down here with Mr. Oates at one of our local motels,” Chapman said.
King was charged with felony aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, after he turned himself into police Friday afternoon. King, of North Canal Street, was being held at the Walton County Department of Corrections, according to a police statement.

Oates told police he was attacked while he watched Ms. Kings’ two sons put air into the tires of her vehicle in the parking lot. Oates ran from his assailant and the fight continued in a motel room until they were separated by other people, according to the police
statement.

“Without warning, Mr. King appeared out of nowhere and blindsided Mr. Oates and struck him in the face once,” police said in a statement.

King immediately left the motel, and was sought by authorities until Chapman said King made contact with the police department and planned to turn himself in.