Iredell County man carries out machete attack after being released from jail, sheriff says

A man is back behind bars after carrying out a machete attack on Wednesday, according to Iredell County sheriff and court records.

Sheriff Darren Campbell said the attack happened just after 5 p.m. on Lewis Ferry Road, a rural area north of Lake Norman. Upon arriving at the scene, authorities discovered a victim with injuries, including a strike to the head and back of the shoulder.

The victim also sustained defensive wounds to the fingers, indicating an attempt to grab the weapon during the assault. Medical personnel at the hospital said that the victim was in stable condition, according to the sheriff.

Joseph Payton Gallimore, 42, was charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, misdemeanor assault on a female, misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, misdemeanor false imprisonment, two counts of misdemeanor communicating threats, and two counts of misdemeanor injury to personal property.

Authorities also determined that Gallimore used his Gurkha Kukri-style machete to slash two vehicles parked at the scene and assaulted a separate individual during the incident, the sheriff’s office alleges.

Gallimore had been released from custody earlier that day after being arrested on unrelated charges.

The sheriff’s office said Gallimore left the scene after that attack, according to witnesses. The sheriff’s office sent out drones and dogs to find him.

He was found on Fairdale Road at 2 a.m. Thursday, the sheriff said. He remained in the Iredell County jail without bond.