Nightmare come to life: Clown accused of swinging ax at woman

HICKORY, N.C. -- Police in western North Carolina have identified a man accused of swinging an ax at a woman while wearing a clown costume.

Multiple media outlets report that the woman has obtained an arrest warrant for 31-year-old Jimmy Raybon of Connelly Springs on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon.

Hickory police spokeswoman Chrystal Dieter says the man came to the woman's Hickory house about 4:30 a.m. Friday wearing a clown mask and a multicolored wig.

Authorities say that the man didn't hurt the woman, and she was able to remove his mask and recognized him as an acquaintance before he left.

A motive for the attack was not immediately clear.

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