Published: January 24, 2008 09:27 am      

Grand jury returns three assault cases

A Madison County grand jury has returned three indictments against three men charged with cutting their alleged victims with knives.

Roy Lynn Combs, 50, of Rainbow Court, Jamey Dale Cope, 30, of Ballard Drive, and Billy W. Wethington, 55, of the Madison County Detention Center, each are charged with various degrees of assault which occurred between Nov. 29 and Dec. 11.

Roy Combs was indicted for the fourth-degree assault of Roy Peters as well as operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Peters allegedly was stabbed following an altercation at the Hines Motel on Big Hill Avenue.

“He (Peters) was stabbed through the left shoulder,” Richmond Police Sgt. J.J. Rogers said previously. “He was cut across the forehead, down across his face and through his left eye. Nobody saw the actual altercation. We have one person that saw Combs coming out of the room holding the knife in his hand and he got in the truck and left.”

Police captured Combs in his pickup truck on Big Hill Avenue about three blocks from the motel. A bone-handled pocket knife was found in his pocket, Rogers said. If convicted, Combs could serve up to 12 months in jail and/or pay a $500 fine.

About 33 hours later, Cope was arrested for injuring Deborah Slone, his girlfriend. He was indicted on charges of first-degree assault, first-degree wanton endangerment and being a second-degree persistent felony offender.

“There was an altercation between the two of them and Mr. Cope assaulted his girlfriend with a steak knife,” said RPD Sgt. Willard Reardon, public affairs officer for the department. “It was still active when the officers got there. He was making threats toward the officers as well as the victim. It is kind of a chaotic situation when you have something like that going on.”

The officers had to subdue Cope, who allegedly was waving the knife at them, Reardon said. Sloan received multiple cuts to her arms and face.

If convicted, Cope could serve up to life in prison.

Wethington is charged with second-degree assault allegedly for “intentionally causing physical injury to Sandra Carter by cutting her with a knife,” the indictment states. If convicted, he could serve up to 10 years in prison.

The grand jury also returned the following indictments:

• Deonte Lamont Simmons, 24, of East Irvine Street, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (cocaine), second-degree persistent felony offender. Simmons also is charged in a second indictment for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (cocaine) and being a second-degree persistent felony offender alongside Charles E. Smith, 24, and Jamie L. Clay, both of Richmond.

Smith and Clay both are charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (cocaine). Smith additionally is charged with possession of marijuana and being a second-degree persistent felony offender. If convicted, Simmons and Smith could serve up to 20 years in prison. Clay could serve five to 10 years upon conviction. (RPD, KSP)

• Adrian Kyle Totty, 23, of Ohio, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methadose). If convicted, Totty could serve five to 10 years in prison. (KSP)

• Sabrina Nicole Richmond, 19, of Mt. Vernon, five counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, theft of identity, five counts of attempt to commit fraudulent use of a credit card more than $100 within a six-month period, fraudulent use of a credit card more than $100 within a six-month period. Richmond could serve up to 20 years in prison if convicted. (MCSO)

• Thomas Newsome, 42, of Berea, and James Jesse Vaughn, 34, of Berea. Vaughn is charged with one count of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (oxycodone), third-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (clonazepam) and one count of first-degree possession of a controlled substance (methadone). Newsome is charged with three counts of first-degree possession of a controlled substance (morphine, methadone and oxycodone). If convicted, Vaughn and Newsome both could serve up to 15 years in prison. (RPD)

• Kenneth Ervin, 20, of Big Hill Avenue, second-degree burglary. If convicted, Ervin could serve up to 10 years in prison. (RPD)

• Joshua A. Raleigh, 18, Waco, third-degree burglary, two counts of theft by unlawful taking and operating a motor vehicle while impaired. Raleigh could serve up to 10 years in prison if convicted. (BPD)

• Philip Randall Hall, 31, of Irvine, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and first-degree bail jumping. If convicted, Hall could serve up to 15 years in prison. (RPD)

• Crystal Carpenter, 26, of Frankfort, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, second-degree possession of drug paraphernalia (coffee filters), possession of marijuana. If convicted, Carpenter could serve up to 10 years in prison. (BPD)

• Gary Nestel, 30, Barbara Ruiz, 22, both of Florida, first-degree possession of a controlled substance (cocaine), possession of drug paraphernalia (baggies and electronic scales), possession of marijuana If convicted, both could serve up to five years in prison. (KVE)

• Nolan W. Rose, 27, of McKee, first-degree possession of a controlled substance (oxycodone), possession of drug paraphernalia (tubing). If convicted, Rose could serve up to five years in prison.

• Joe Wilburn, no listed age, Berea, theft by failure to make required disposition of property. If convicted, Wilburn could serve up to five years in prison.

The grand jury returned orders of dismissal for Phillip Gerald Bryant, Timothy Anderkin and Sarah Anne Mills. An indictment is a formal accusation of a crime and does not establish guilt.

Kelly Foreman can be reached at kforeman@richmondregister.com or 624-6694.