A Tennessee father who police say attacked his son with a chainsaw has been charged with attempted second-degree murder. Douglas Ferguson, 76, reportedly lost his leg after his son ran him over with a lawn mower in self-defense.

Officers found Ferguson bleeding from his head and leg at the scene of the June 28 attack, which occurred at the son's residence in Bristol off Highway 421, the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office said.

The injuries required amputation of Ferguson's leg, the Bristol Herald Courier reported, requiring his arrest to be made weeks later after he recovered.

Investigators found that Ferguson, who has an adjoining property, tried to attack his son with a running chainsaw while he was mowing the lawn, during which the son responded by running over his father on the zero-turn riding mower.

Witnesses, including the son, provided statements on what occurred, police said.

"The son was not aware that the father was evidently right around him that day. He was mowing around some bushes or trees and the father comes out with this chainsaw running at him," said Lt. Andy Seabolt of the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office.

"So he turns to actually try to get away from him, turns around and the father is still coming at him with the chainsaw. So he hits him with the mower. And that's when everything stopped."

Seabolt said Douglas had "and ongoing dispute" with his son and a history of problems with him and others in the family. The son has not been identified.



Douglas received a $25,000 bond on the attempted murder charge, but remained in jail without bond on an additional violation of probation charge.

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