Salem contractor charged with attempted murder of his wife, killing her dog
A Salem contractor and businessman was arraigned Friday in Marion County Circuit Court on charges of attempting to kill his wife and killing her dog on Nov. 8.
Mark Fox, 52, was originally scheduled to be arraigned on the charges on Nov. 9, the day after he was arrested, but his attorney said he was intubated and sedated at Salem Health hospital.
Fox was charged with assault, unlawful use of a weapon, endangering a person who is protected by a court order, aggravated animal abuse and contempt of court.
Fox is the only listed owner of White Oak Construction, according to Secretary of State records. The Salem company builds commercial office properties, including numerous buildings occupied by state agencies. He has been the president of that company since 2004, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Police responded to a domestic disturbance at 4 p.m. on Nov. 8 at a residence on Viewcrest Road S, just outside of the Salem city limits, according to a probable cause statement.
Officers found Fox's wife stabbed multiple times in her neck and other areas of her body. According to the probable cause statement, Fox arrived at the house with zip ties, duct tape and an eight-inch hunting knife, which he used to stab her and her dog.
His wife was taken to Salem Hospital, where she underwent surgery. The dog was transported to an emergency veterinary clinic, where he later died.
Officials say Fox fled through the woods behind the house, and police searched four hours before finding him injured in a heavily wooded area. He had repeatedly stabbed himself, according to the probable cause statement. Police took Fox to a hospital.
According to the Marion County Jail, Fox also was arrested Oct. 11 on nine counts, including strangulation, assault, unlawful use of a weapon, interference with making a report and resisting arrest. According to the indictment in that case, he repeatedly choked his wife between Aug. 26 and Oct. 9.
Fox was released on bail at an Oct. 12 hearing and ordered to have no contact with his wife. His bail in that case was revoked Nov. 9 by Marion County Circuit Court Judge Tracy Prall after the new charges were filed.
His construction company has been involved in several projects in the Mid-Valley, including the Oregon State Police Fallen Trooper Memorial, a Department of Human Services center in Dallas, and a NorthWest Senior and Disability Services intake center in Woodburn.
White Oak Construction was established in 1997, according to Statesman Journal archives, specializing in complex, fast-track design build projects. The company has been affiliated with SEDCOR, the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Women in Construction.
Fox, a graduate of South Salem High School, competed in rally racing from 2007 to 2011. He was named the Rally America rookie of the year in 2009.
Bill Poehler covers Marion and Polk County for the Statesman Journal. Contact him at bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Contractor charged with attempted murder in stabbing of his wife
