Christy Martin, 42, was driven to a hospital’s emergency room by a motorist she had flagged down near the Deer Lake Subdivision in Apopka, deputies said. Doctors said Martin had stab wounds to her upper torso and left leg, and had been shot.
She's in the hospital with serious wounds and her husband and business partner is on the run, reportedly suicidal, deputies said.
Investigators said Martin was conscious and alert when they arrived and was able to tell them that she had been stabbed by her husband, 66-year-old James Martin.
Martin had returned to the couple’s Apopka home after being gone for two days. She told investigators that her husband confronted her inside their home with a knife and handgun and they began to fight. She told deputies she was able to get out of the house after being stabbed and flag down the motorist, who drove her to the hospital. Martin told officers she did not realize she had been shot during the altercation.
Investigators said two people who were driving by on Thompson Road stopped to help Christy Martin. One called 911 and the other took her to Florida Hospital North.
The sheriff's office is not releasing the call or the name of the people who helped her.
Deputies said they went to the couple’s home and attempted to locate her husband. The deputies saw evidence of a violent struggle inside the home, however the James Martin could not be located.
Investigators are still looking for him and said he is a suspect in the attack on Christy Martin.
James Martin is described as a white man, 5 feet 10 inches tall, 165 pounds, bald and has brown eyes.
Prior to the alleged attack, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said that deputies responded to the home of James and Christy Martin at 1:11pm Tuesday in response to an out-of-state call from an acquaintance of James Martin.
Deputies said the caller feared that James Martin was contemplating taking his life and that there might be firearms inside the home. Officers made contact with James Martin at his home and after investigating the concerns of the caller, determined that there were no legal grounds take him into custody or deprive him of his property.
"We would like him to turn himself in obviously, or if anybody in the community who knows where he might be please provide us with that information," said sheriff's office spokesman, Jim Solomons.
Deputies said Martin showed no signs of irrational behavior nor did he show any indication that he might harm himself or another person.
James Martin was in the company of a neighbor when deputies arrived. The neighbor stated that he had been with James Martin for a couple of hours and he showed no indication that he was contemplating suicide or violent behavior.
Orange County court records show the couple's house went into foreclosure in 2009. Mediation was scheduled with the bank in October.
The sheriff's office said they are using a helicopter to search for him and have the felony squad out as well. Officers said they were concerned for his well-being.
Christy Martin began her professional boxing career in 1989. She holds a record of 49 wins, 5 losses and 3 draws, with 31 wins by knock-out.
She's faced the biggest female boxers across the country, including Laila Ali, the daughter of boxing legend, Muhammad Ali.
Her most recent fight was September 2009, where she beat Dakota Stone.