A Pleasant Grove man was arrested and charged with attempted murder after a stabbing in Springville on Sunday.

Juan Ochoa, 29, was arrested and booked into the Utah County Jail after a woman called Springville police to report that her friend had been stabbed several times near 1400 North and Main Street.

The victim, David Vaavao, and two witnesses told police that Ochoa was sitting in the back seat of a car when he started stabbing Vaavao, who was in the front passenger seat. The driver pulled the car over at a gas station and Ochoa got out, tried to stab another occupant of the vehicle and ran off, the witnesses told police.

Vaavao suffered 12 stab wounds to the back of the neck and head, including one that may have partially cut his spinal cord. In an affidavit filed in Provo's 4th District Court, Springville police said Vaavao may be paralyzed as a result of the spinal cord injury.

Police located Ochoa and arrested him after a brief pursuit. Ochoa was charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, resisting arrest and failure to stop for a police officer.