WELLINGTON, Fla. (WPEC) -- A man has been accused of attacking two people with a machete in a Florida horse barn, leaving a woman with her nose almost completely severed off.
The violent incident unfolded on Tuesday just after 8 p.m. in the Little Ranches community in Wellington, turning what was once a peaceful horse stable into a horrific crime scene.
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO), deputies responded to a 911 call in which a woman stated that her nose had been cut off by a machete.
When deputies arrived at the scene, they found two victims, a man and a woman, both suffering from severe injuries inside the horse stable.
They were immediately transported to St. Mary's Medical Center for medical treatment and to provide statements to detectives.
It's surreal. This is such a nice neighborhood. It's gated. Nothing ever happens here," neighbor Emily Ciceroni said.
"Once we found out it was at Aimee's, it's like, what the heck? Because you wouldn't expect anyone, especially an employee, especially an employee," neighbor Randy Halvorsrød said.
The woman, stable owner Aimee Waters, told detectives that she had recently hired 56-year-old Abundio Jasso as a horse groomsman about a month ago, allowing him to live in an RV on her property.
She mentioned that their working relationship had become strained due to Jasso's frequent intoxication and aggression when she asked him to complete his duties.
The incident escalated on Tuesday night when Waters noticed Jasso had not finished his night check of the stables. Concerned, she and her tenant, Joseph Hawk, went to check on Jasso. When they knocked on the door of his RV, Jasso appeared drunk and shined a flashlight in their eyes.
Attempting to avoid further conflict, Waters and Hawk decided to finish the night check themselves.
However, moments later, Jasso allegedly stormed into the barn armed with a machete.
According to PBSO, Jasso first attacked Hawk, who stepped in to protect Waters. Hawk told deputies that after the initial strike, he witnessed Jasso hit Waters in the face with the machete, severing her nose completely and causing her to collapse.
In fear for Waters' life, Hawk again tried to intervene but was struck multiple times, suffering deep cuts to his arm and ribcage.
It's just horrifying for us that someone in our community had to endure this, the man who did it. I don't know what to say," Halvorsrød said.
Nearby neighbor Randy Halvorsrød has known Waters for nearly 20 years.
"A wonderful person. She's a giving person, a great part of the neighborhood, great part of the Wellington horse industry," Halvorsrød said.
The two victims managed to escape Jasso and hide in a locked room inside the barn, where they called 911.
When deputies arrived, Jasso barricaded himself inside his RV but eventually told officers that he attacked Waters because he was angry at her for insulting him.
The woman suffered severe injuries, including severing of her nose, facial trauma, and a fractured upper jawbone.
Hawk sustained a metacarpal fracture in his wrist, deep lacerations to his arm requiring 17 stitches, and cuts to his tricep and ribcage.
Both are expected to recover. Neighbors told WPEC's Katie Bente that Waters is set to be released from the hospital on Thursday.
"Her friend Joe, who was there, she said, basically saved her life," Halvorsrød said. "She's doing well. She's barking orders for the farm, so I guess she's doing well."
Jasso has been charged with two counts of first-degree attempted premeditated murder and is being held without bond at the Palm Beach County Jail.