By CATHY LOGG

Herald Writer

MARYSVILLE — A Marysville man may be charged with abducting and sexually assaulting his estranged wife.

The 59-year-old man allegedly attacked the woman on Wednesday and then ingested drugs in an apparent suicide attempt, police said.

He was listed in stable condition Thursday at Providence Everett Medical Center’s Colby Campus.

The man is not currently in custody but is under guard and will be arrested when he is released from the hospital, said Marysville police Cmdr. Ralph Krusey.

Police say the woman went to his home in the 1400 block of 41st Drive NE about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at his request to pick up some of her belongings, Krusey said.

When she arrived, he kept her from leaving, bound her and then sexually assaulted her, Krusey said. The man told her that he wanted to commit suicide and that he had booby-trapped the home. The man reportedly had a knife during the incident.

After he ingested an unknown quantity of what are believed to have been painkillers and tranquilizers, he allowed his estranged wife to leave about 3:45 p.m., police said.

She drove to the police station and reported the attack, Krusey said.

Marysville police and the Snohomish County sheriff’s deputies kept the house under surveillance, city spokesman Doug Buell said.

About 10:30 p.m., police arrested the man, and he was hospitalized because of his medical condition.

The home had not been booby-trapped, Krusey said.

Police have had previous contacts with the man, Krusey said, but he has no criminal record in Washington.