McCready Survives Savage Attack

Tue., May. 10, 2005 2:00 PM PDT by

Mindy McCready's life is continuing to play out like a particularly sad country song.

Two days after being busted for drunken driving, the 28-year-old Nashville songbird apparently became the victim of domestic violence after she was allegedly ambushed by an ex-boyfriend who broke into her Tennessee home, beat her and then nearly strangled her to death.

The former beau, 38-year-old William McKnight, was arrested Sunday afternoon by authorities in Nashville and charged with attempted murder and aggravated burglary. He remains jailed on $130,000 bond.

According to a police affidavit, McKnight tailed McCready into her Green Hills-area home through the garage as she returned to the residence at 7 a.m. The presumably jealous McKnight confronted McCready, allegedly threatened to kill her and told her, "You're not going to go out with other guys."

McCready fled upstairs, and McKnight chased her into a bedroom, where the attack reportedly occurred.

The police report stated that McKnight began punching McCready in the face and banging her head against the headboard. He then wrapped his hands around her throat and started to choke her, saying, "I am going to kill you," per the report. At that point, McCready told investigators she began to feel as if she was going to lose consciousness.

McKnight eventually relaxed his grip but continued to pummel her face, police said. He then allegedly dragged her down the stairs before finally leaving.

McCready managed to call for help and was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was treated for "complications due to strangulation and physical assault." She's now holed up at a "safe place," police said Tuesday.

McCready's string of bad luck began last August, when she was arrested for using a fake prescription to obtain the popular painkiller OxyContin. After denying she used the drug, she eventually pleaded guilty in November to prescription-drug fraud, was fined $4,000 and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.

Then, last Friday morning, the "Guys Do It All the Time" singer was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. McCready was also charged with driving with a suspended license and failure to take a breath test. She was later released on $3,500 bail.

"We all make mistakes. We're human," McCready told local TV station WSMV.

Once briefly engaged to TV Superman Dean Cain, McCready parlayed her fresh good looks and wholesome image into Nashville stardom, charting with such songs as "Ten Thousand Angels" and "A Girl's Gotta Do (What a Girl's Gotta Do)." But she hasn't released an album of new material since 2002.

McCready is looking to lie low for a little while. After the weekend altercation, she scrapped an appearance at a concert benefit that was scheduled for Wednesday.

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