Steamboat Pilot & Today

The victim of a Thanksgiving Day stabbing told police he was trying to help the woman accused of going after him with a steak knife.

John Holcroft, 40, who was stabbed in his condominium on Village Drive, said he had given Linda Anne Samis of Peterbor--ough, Ontario, a safe place to stay the night when she started "freaking out" and attacked him.

Samis, 35, charged with second-degree assault and felony menacing, is accused of stabbing Holcroft several times in the left shoulder and upper torso, police Capt. Joel Rae said.

Holcroft was treated at Yampa Valley Medical Center on Thursday and released later that day, police said.

Holcroft on Monday declined to comment about the stabbing but his statement to police said the incident began with a conversation.

Samis and Holcroft met Wednesday night at The Tugboat Grill & Pub in Ski Time Square, where Holcroft went for a drink, according to the statement.

Holcroft told police he saw Samis sitting alone at a table and joined her.

Samis said her husband, Rick Matthew Manske, left her alone at the bar and she was in trouble with him, according to the statement.

Samis was staying at the Super 8 Motel on South Lincoln Avenue with Manske, 33, against whom she had a restraining order, said Rae and Sgt. Dale Coyner.

Holcroft told police he offered Samis a safe place to stay at his condominium, she accepted, and they took a taxi to the residence he shares with a roommate.

Samis went to sleep on the couch, Holcroft told police, and he went to bed. Later he awoke to hear Samis screaming and "freaking out," Holcroft said in the statement.

Holcroft told police he got out of bed and saw Samis in the kitchen holding a steak knife. She stabbed him in the left shoulder and upper torso and he yelled for help, Holcroft told police.

When police arrived, at about 12:30 a.m. Thursday, Samis was lying on the kitchen floor held down by Holcroft's roommate, Rae said.

Manske was arrested at the motel Thursday morning on suspicion of violating the restraining order. Manske listed the motel room as his home address, Rae said.

Coyner said Samis is not a Steamboat Springs resident and that she probably came to the area from the Front Range last week.

"It's bizarre," Rae said. "No real motive has been uncovered."

Samis and Manske were held at the Routt County Jail on Thursday night without bond. They went before Routt County Judge James Garrecht on Friday morning.

According to court documents, Garrecht set Samis' bond at $10,000 and scheduled her to appear in court at 1 p.m. Wednesday. Manske's bond was set at $3,000; he also is scheduled to appear in court at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

-- Pilot & Today staff writer Alexis DeLaCruz

contributed to this report.