Fort Lauderdale homeowner survives being stabbed in his sleep. Cops cuff burglar
.jpg "A Fort Lauderdale homeowner was stabbed in his sleep, fought off the intruder and chased him until police K-9s and a sheriff’s helicopter tracked and arrested the suspect.")
A Fort Lauderdale homeowner was sleeping peacefully early Monday morning when he was suddenly awakened by a man stabbing him repeatedly. After an adrenaline-fueled scuffle, he fought the intruder off, who was later hunted down by police.
Around 4:30 a.m., the unidentified homeowner was sleeping in his house in the 600 block of Northeast Eight Avenue. He awoke to Joseph Defex, 31, striking him several times with a “sharp object,” Fort Lauderdale police said.
Defex then ran from the house, but the homeowner gave chase and fought the man in an effort to restrain him until police arrived. However, when the victim saw Defex still had a “sharp object” in his hand, he let him go.
Fort Lauderdale police K-9s and a Broward Sheriff’s Office helicopter tracked Defex down, police said. He was arrested and charged with burglary with assault or battery and giving a false name to law enforcement.
The homeowner was rushed to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
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