N.C. woman under protection order stabbed, police say

A Hatteras Island woman was stabbed repeatedly by a man who violated a domestic violence protection order, police said today.

Amanda Stephens Dancks of Buxton was found covered in blood in the back yard of her Flowers Ridge Trail residence at about 7:30 p.m. Monday, said Dare County Chief Deputy Sheriff Phillip Etheridge.

“We were actually en route to the residence,” Etheridge said. “She had called and said he was coming.”

Dancks, who is in her mid-30s, was transported to The Outer Banks Hospital, where she was flown by the Coast Guard to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, according to a news release issued by the Dare County Sheriff’s Office. She was reported in serious but stable condition

Don Frederick Sauer, 51, was charged with attempted first-degree murder, a felony. He was also charged with three misdemeanors: domestic criminal trespass with a weapon; violation of a domestic violence protective order; and injury to personal property.

Etheridge said that the protective order had been issued about one month ago. The couple had lived together, he said, but he did know if they are married. Two children under the age of 6 were inside the residence with Sauer when police removed him at gunpoint, Etheridge said. They were uninjured. The weapon, a pocket knife, was recovered from Sauers’ pocket.

Sauer is being held at the Dare County Detention Center on secured bonds of $500,000 for the attempted murder charge; $50,000 each for the trespass and protective order violation; and $1,500 for the property violation.