Deputies: man attacked wife with hatchet

PORT RICHEY - A Pasco County man is accused of attacking his wife with a hatchet while the couple's two children slept next to her.

"They're going through a divorce and I guess he snapped and that apparently drove him to attack his wife," PCSO spokesperson Kevin Doll said.

Detectives say Daniel Lee Stuckey attacked his wife while she was in bed with her daughters at their home in the 10000 block of Old Orchard Lane in Port Richey early Monday morning

"One is nine the other is 16, they were sleeping in the bed with the mother when they woke up to her screaming and tried to stop their father from continuing the assault on their mother," Doll said.

FOX 13 spoke to the 16-year-old who says the family is staying strong.

"We're doing okay, were good, we'll make it," she said.

While swinging the hatchet at his wife, witnesses say Stuckey was heard yelling for his wife to die. The victim suffered injuries to her head and arm but is expected to survive.

Neighbor Wil Tawney can't believe all that happened just a few doors down.

"That's just crazy, I don't know I didn't think he's do all that," Tawney said.

When deputies arrived at the home, they say Stuckey was sitting on the porch awaiting his fate.

"He basically said he was ready to do his 15 to 20 years for the act that he just did," Doll said.

Stuckey called himself a punk because he didn't finish what he was suppose to do, detectives said telling them, "I couldn't take away my baby's mother."

Stuckey faces attempted murder charges and violation of probation.