57-Year-Old Man Stabbed at Willow Creek Park; Suspect Sought

A 57-year-old man who was packing up his belongings at Community Commons Park in Willow Creek was stabbed in the back and later admitted to Providence St. Joseph Hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office said. Deputies are investigating and asking anyone with information to call the sheriff’s office or the crime tip line.

According to the sheriff’s office, the victim reported that the attack occurred at about 9:00 a.m. while he was at the park near the Bigfoot Museum at the junction of Highway 299 and Highway 96. The victim said an unknown male walked past him and, without speaking, stabbed him with an unknown object before running northbound on Highway 96. The Humboldt County Emergency Communications Center received notification from the hospital at 2:25 a.m. on Jan. 25 after the victim arrived at the emergency department.

Investigators published a detailed suspect description to aid the search. The suspect is described as a man in his early 20s with light tan skin, light-colored eyes and short brown hair, about 5-foot-11 to 6-foot-1 tall and roughly 180 pounds. He was reported wearing a light blue zippered sweatshirt bearing the True Religion logo, blue Levi 501 jeans and tan cowboy boots.

The sheriff’s office noted that the information is from a press release and has not been proven in a court of law; any individuals described should be presumed innocent until proven guilty. The office also issued an update clarifying the location: the stabbing occurred at Community Commons Park near the Bigfoot Museum, not at Veteran’s Park as had been initially reported. Anyone with tips is asked to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.

For Willow Creek, a community that depends on through-traffic along Highway 299 and Highway 96 and on visitors to local landmarks, an attack in a small public park raises immediate concerns about safety and downtown foot traffic. Local businesses and attractions near the Bigfoot Museum may face heightened public wariness while the investigation continues, and residents often look to the sheriff’s office for visible patrols and information.

The case remains under active investigation. Humboldt County residents and visitors should remain aware of their surroundings in public spaces, and anyone with information is urged to contact law enforcement so deputies can locate the suspect and provide closure for the victim and the Willow Creek community.