Koyukuk man charged in Sunday's ax attack

FAIRBANKS - A Koyukuk man was seriously injured Sunday night in what Alaska State Troopers say was an attack with an ax.

The victim, whose name has not been released, was airlifted to Fairbanks. He told authorities he was struck four times with the ax.

Gene P. Mayfield, 36, of Koyukuk, was charged with first-degree assault. He was held Thursday without bail at the Fairbanks Correctional Center.

The victim, who was unable to talk at the time of the attack, only scrawled the word "ax" on the floor of the clinic.