Ex-Husband Attacks Wife At Youth At Chapman Sports Complex: Cops

GARDEN GROVE, CA — An Anaheim man was charged Tuesday with attempting to kill his estranged wife at their son's flag football game in Garden Grove.

Russell Mathew Husges, 43, was charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, both felonies, as well as single misdemeanor counts of disobeying a domestic relations court order and child abuse and endangerment. He also faces sentencing enhancement allegations of attempted premeditated murder and personal use of a deadly weapon.

Husges is accused of going to the Chapman Sports Complex at 11701 Knott St. about 7 p.m. Friday with kitchen knives in each hand, according to police reports.

"At the time, there were several youth sporting events underway on the fields," Lt. Carl Whitney of Garden Grove Police stated.

The mother was sitting down, watching her child warm up on the field, when the father arrived, armed with several knives.

"The child saw his father and alerted his mother that Husges was coming up from behind her," Whitney said. "When she turned, she saw the suspect walking towards her, holding kitchen knives in each hand."

She ran onto the playing field, screaming for help with the suspect giving chase.

"The youth sports coach along with an off-duty officer immediately contacted Husges and disarmed him before he was able to injure the victim," Whitney said. "They restrained him until Garden Grove officers arrived.

According to reports from the scene, several fathers assisted in bringing down the suspect and holding him until police arrived.

Husges was arrested without incident and later transported to the Orange County Jail.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer spoke out on the incident where so many stepped forward to assist during a youth sports activity.

“No one should be subjected to violence for making the decision to leave a relationship and no child should have to intervene to stop one parent from attacking another,” Spitzer said. “The act itself is horrific, but to attempt to carry out this kind of violence in front of innocent children and their parents is the stuff of nightmares.”