CARBONDALE - A stabbing Monday afternoon in the 1500 block of Old West Main behind the Lenus Turley Park pavilion sent a Murphysboro man to the emergency room. A suspect was arrested within minutes after fleeing on a bicycle, Carbondale police said.

Lt. Paul Edwards said the call about a stabbing in progress came in at 4:17 p.m. Monday. The victim, who was identified only as a 53-year-old Murphysboro resident, suffered multiple stab wounds in the chin and neck area.

The victim gave police a description of the assailant and within five minutes police arrested Billy R. Pittman, 53, of Carbondale about two blocks from the scene.

The victim was taken by Jackson County Ambulance Service to Memorial Hospital of Carbondale. Sgt. Rich Brunner said the injuries were not considered life threatening.

Edwards declined to comment on whether police had recovered the knife used in the stabbing. Plans to bring the Jackson County Sheriff's Department K-9 unit to the scene seemed to indicate some evidence still was missing about an hour after the incident.

Earlier, Carbondale police were searching the area, evidently seeking either a weapon or other evidence.

As police talked with witnesses, children were playing on swings as parents watched within a few dozen yards of the pavilion, oblivious to the investigation.

Edwards moved picnic tables to partially hide blood spatters on the pavilion's concrete floor. The Carbondale Park District also was notified and was expected to clean up the park pavilion later Monday evening.

There also were some spatters of blood in the middle of Old West Main Street, just east of the pavilion.

Pittman was taken to the Jackson County Jail in Murphysboro, where his bond will be set Wednesday, a jailer said. He has been charged with unlawful use of weapons by a felon and aggravated battery.