An Effingham man is behind bars following a late night stabbing on Monday. Effingham Police were called to the 500 block of North Henrietta Street just after 11:30 p.m. on Monday after reports of a stabbing. Officers arrived to find one victim with an apparent stab wound to the torso. The victim was transported by ambulance to HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital in Effingham and was later transferred to Carle Hospital in Urbana. The victim’s status is currently unknown.
The suspect had fled the scene before officers arrived, but witnesses didn’t just call 911 and walk away. They tracked which direction the suspect went and provided officers with a detailed clothing description, information that proved critical in locating him that same night. Officers identified the suspect as 20-year-old Samuel J. Sarver of Effingham, and found him a short time later at a home nearby. He was taken into custody without giving any further trouble and was booked into the Effingham County Jail.
Sarver was ordered to remain detained pending trial following an initial court appearance on Monday. He faces two Class 3 felony charges, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and reckless conduct causing great bodily harm. Additionally, Sarver has been charged with a Class A misdemeanor for unlawful use of a weapon. Each Class 3 felony conviction could carry a sentence of two to five years in prison and up to $25,000 in fines.
Effingham Police Deputy Chief Tom Webb praised the community’s response to the violent altercation, saying the teamwork between citizens and law enforcement allowed officers to get Sarver off the streets and prevent any further threat to the public. The investigation remains ongoing as of Wednesday, May 27th of 2026.
All individuals listed as arrested or cited are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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