Montrose couple awakened by intruder covered in blood

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A couple in Montrose woke up to find a man standing in the doorway of their bedroom covered in blood.

"I noticed that there was something going on, and I sat up and said, 'Oh, my God,'" homeowner Michael Morrison said.

Michael said the man was bleeding and desperately asking for help.

"I'm fumbling over here. I forgot which drawer I had the flashlight in, but I finally found it. My wife chuckled a bit, but this heavy flashlight was going to be my weapon if this guy became a threat."

His wife, Cindi, tried to keep her cool and not overreact.

"You can escalate a situation by your language, by your mannerisms," Cindi said.

She told the suspect that she was calling to get him medical attention, and officers responded within minutes.

"The neighbor was hollering to police, 'we think he broke a window here first,'" Michael said.

Police say the intruder, Tahnelle Cornute, now has a pending charge for criminal trespassing.

Cornute has a lengthy record, this marks his 25 arrest. He's been picked up for assault, theft, drugs and indecent exposure.

"It's an overburdened system. It's ineffectual for guys like this," Cindi said.