MOULTRIE, Ga. — A Colquitt County couple’s drunken Sunday morning quarrel sent one man to the hospital with stab wounds and later to jail, where his wife already was in custody.

Deputies with the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office responded at about 7:18 a.m. Sunday to the report of a stabbing at 531-A D.H. Alderman Road.

 “When they arrived they found Thomas Nelson Thomas Jr., the victim, with stab wounds to the upper abdomen area,” sheriff’s Sgt. Katrina Johnson said. “They also found a female by the name of Lauren Nichole Thomas who had multiple contusions to the face and a swollen eye. Both subjects were intoxicated and admitted on scene to having been drinking all night.”

Lauren Thomas told police that she stabbed her husband in self defense after he hit her repeatedly in the face with his fist.

Thomas Thomas reported that while they were arguing Lauren Thomas began hitting him and he pushed her down to protect himself, at which time she got the knife off the kitchen table and stabbed him. At that time, he told police, he hit her in self defense.

“He attempted to call 911, but wasn’t sure the call went through,” Johnson said. “He (also) notified Lauren’s daughter, who called 911.”

He was treated at Colquitt Regional Medical Center and later released. Both were taken into custody on family violence-related charges.

Lauren Thomas, 41, was charged with aggravated assault by stabbing. Thomas Thomas, 56, was charged with battery.

Both remained at Colquitt County Jail on Monday afternoon.