Commitment order sought for suspect in attempted murder

EUREKA SPRINGS -- Officials are trying to obtain a commitment order for a man charged with attempted murder after he tried to assault a woman with a hatchet at a downtown bar.

Daniel J. Larmay, 49, of Eureka Springs, was arrested Saturday at Eureka Live on North Main Street. He had been banned from the bar after a previous incident, and when he returned Saturday, he allegedly walked behind the bar and grabbed co-owner Nancy Faber by the hair and threw her to the floor.

According to an affidavit of probably cause, he then produced an hatchet, which he raised into the air.

Roger Faber, the woman's husband, grabbed the weapon, along with Philip Oje. They restrained the man until police arrived.

Officers Brian Williams and Aaron Thompson arrived just before 6 p.m., and they secured Larmay's hands before the two men would let him go. The assailant remained combative, and while he was being transported to the police department, he was able to get his hands in front of him.

Williams stopped the car and removed Larmay from the unit to secure his hands behind his back again. Larmay shoved the officer and attempted to run, and when Williams grabbed his shirt, Larmay attempted to fight. Williams warned that he would have to use pepper spray if Larmay did not stop resisting, and the officer then followed through with his promise.

At the sally port at the police station, Larmay had to be sprayed again to make him stop fighting and screaming threats.

The police said Larmay became completely compliant with officers during the booking process. In the holding cell, however, he began hitting himself in the face, and when he was told that officers were about to take him to the Carroll County Detention Center, he ran face-first into the cell wall and fell to the floor.

The affidavit notes charges against Larmay including attempted capital murder, battery, terroristic threatening, and commercial burglary. The last charge, burglary, does not indicate that he attempted to steal anything, just that he entered an establishment with the intention to commit a crime.