WICHITA, KS _A man who police say nearly killed a woman early this week by repeatedly striking her in the head with a hammer was charged Wednesday with attempted first-degree murder.
Gideon K. Maiyo, 29, is accused of beating Elizabeth Kogo, 29, in an apartment in the 8100 block of East Harry on Sunday night.
She was taken by ambulance to Wesley Medical Center, where she remained in critical condition Wednesday.
Police said Maiyo left the apartment after the beating but was arrested after crashing his vehicle on the Kansas Turnpike.
Police said Maiyo and Kogo are Kenyan nationals who have been in Wichita since 2008.
Police said Maiyo is the defendant in a pending misdemeanor battery case stemming from an incident that occurred late last year. Kogo was the alleged victim in the case.
Police said Kogo was cooperating with them in the battery case but asked that no restraining order be issued against Maiyo.
District Judge Warren Wilbert set Maiyo's bond at $100,000 and scheduled a Feb. 9 preliminary hearing. The Public Defender's Office was appointed to represent him.
Last year, close to 7 Kenyans including young children here in the USA lost their lives after severe domestic violence perpetrated by enraged husbands or boyfriends.
