Man charged with attempted murder after authorities say he hit woman in the head with metal rod

A 43-year-old man is now facing charges after prosecutors say he hit a woman in the head with a metal rod Wednesday in St. Paul.

Crandell Dwayne Turner was charged with one count of attempted second-degree murder and one count of first-degree assault.

As previously reported, St. Paul officers responded to Higher Ground on Dorothy Day Place on a report of an assault around 7 p.m. Wednesday. One caller reported seeing a man hit a woman on the head with a metal rod before running away.

First responders found a woman bleeding heavily from the head. She was conscious and breathing but unable to tell officers what happened.

The woman was initially brought to United Hospital before being transferred to Regions Hospital in critical condition. A criminal complaint states that she had a skull fracture and an internal brain bleed.

As of Thursday, the woman is in serious but stable condition, court documents state.

A group of good Samaritans led police to the assailant, later identified as Turner.

A witness told police he saw Turner jump in the air and swing down at the woman as she lay on the ground. Another man told police he saw Turner repeatedly hit the woman with a metal rod. When he asked Turner why he hit the woman, turner reportedly said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

A third witness told police he was sitting with his back toward where the victim was when he heard what sounded like someone being hit and falling. When he turned to look, he saw Turner repeatedly hitting the woman.

Officers were later flagged down and given a metal rod that appeared to have blood on it.

Surveillance video captured Turner carrying out the assault.

Court documents note that Turner has a manslaughter conviction from Louisiana from when he was a juvenile. He also has several warrants for his arrest out of Ramsey County, but court documents didn’t detail what they were for.