HIGH POINT, N.C. — An Asheboro family is traumatized after an ax-wielding man tried to attack them outside a restaurant in High Point on Friday night. Within minutes, police arrested the man and he now faces felony assault with a deadly weapon charge.
Omar Sebastian spoke with WFMY News 2 about the terrifying encounter that left his wife and two-year-old son unable to sleep that night.
"My son woke up at different times just freaking out, and it was sad to see him go through that," Sebastian said.
Before the attack, the evening had been full of fun and laughter for Sebastian's family. They gathered at Spiro's Family Restaurant on S. Main Street in High Point to celebrate the father's accomplishments at work.
"We just went over there to have dinner, celebrate, have a good time," said Sebastian.
The family left the restaurant between 8 and 9 p.m. and walked to their car in the dark parking lot.
"Everybody got inside the car. I was putting my kid in his car seat," Sebastian recalled. "I just decided I would look to my right... I saw somebody walking with a dog. "
That man was Carson Parrish, 44, according to Lt. Berrier with the High Point Police Department.
"He yelled at me, 'What the hell are you looking at amigo?' " Sebastian said. "It caught me by surprise I didn't know what to think."
Parrish started walking quickly toward Sebastian, who noticed the man was holding something in his hand.
"When I saw that, that's when I ran towards my car," Sebastian said.
Sebastian ran to his car and tried to get inside, but the man caught up with him and tried to pull the door open.
"This man was pulling on the door. And that's when everybody started yelling. Everybody was panicking, I had my family in the back and my son was yelling, he was confused, he didn't know what was going on, I didn't know what was going on. I didn't know why I was being attacked," Sebastian said.
Sebastian said the man then began to yell and bang his head against the window, before turning to the ax in his hand.
"It was an ax he had in his hand that he was trying to hit me with, and it was terrifying," Sebastian said. "He started hitting the window for a few times. Those seconds turned into minutes. The few seconds he was doing that, we were all scared."
The frantic family called 911. Sebastian said he tried to start his Jeep, but was so nervous he was unable to start the engine.
"He was hitting it with the top (of the ax). Luckily my car was able to hold that, because he was hitting it really hard," Sebastian said. "I was so nervous that I couldn't even get the car started. We just had to sit there until eventually he got tired and starting walking away. That's when I noticed an officer going after him."
High Point Police officers arrived in the parking lot and arrested 44-year-old Carson Parrish.
"Whenever I saw the officers showing up, that's when me and my family felt safe. Knowing this man was going to go to jail and pay for what he is doing," Sebastian said.
Sebastian said his family was not physically hurt, but suffered emotional trauma that they are still recovering from. Sebastian had to miss work the next day he was so shaken up.
Sebastian detailed the disturbing incident in a Facebook post that has since been shared more than 3,000 times.
"It shocked me that I just looked to my right, and that's all it took for that man to decide he wanted to attack me and kill me and it makes no sense," Sebastian said.
The father said he does not believe the attack was racially motivated.
Alleged 'agitated' ax attacker faces felony charges
Lt. Berrier with the High Point Police Department told WFMY News 2 that the alleged attacker's motivation is still unknown -- only that he became 'agitated.'
Carson Parrish is charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon and injury to personal property. He is currently in the Guilford County Jail under a total $2,500 bond, and his first court appearance is scheduled for Monday October 30.
Lt. Berrier did not say if Parrish was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the alleged ax attack. Police were told that Parrish tried to ask Sebastian for a ride, which Sebastian disputes.
High Point Police arrived on scene within 15 seconds of a 911 call being placed and no injuries were reported, Lt. Berrier said. The driver's side window of Vazquez's jeep suffered minor damage.