Video: Woman's throat slashed in ATM attack

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BELLINGHAM, Wash. – "I thought he was gonna kill me."

That's what Sam Shields remembers when she talks about the stranger who slashed her throat at a Ferndale bank Monday morning.

Just before 8 a.m., the Bellingham woman walked up to the ATM. Just as the machine was spitting out Sam's money, she noticed a shadow approaching. When she turned around, a man began attacking her with a box cutter.

"I have no defensive wounds. He just wanted my throat, so it was just big slashes the whole time," said Sam.

She fell to the ground and tried to fight off the attacker.

"He was standing over me, still just going for my throat, and I was screaming for help and saying 'take it, just take it,'" said Sam.

But the man didn't seem to want the money and just kept slashing.

Bank employees heard the screams and ran outside.

"He looked over and then just took off running," said Sam.

Police later found the man hiding in a field.

At the hospital, doctors told Sam that the attacker had come within an inch of slicing her jugular vein.

"Very lucky to be here and thankful for everybody who helped," said Sam.

The suspect has a previous assault conviction for grabbing some women at Bellingham stores. He was charged with a probation violation a few weeks ago, because he didn't undergo a court-ordered sexual deviancy evaluation.

Sam wants prosecutors to throw the book at him.

"I want them to charge him with attempted murder," said Sam.

The suspect is being held on $1 million bail.