By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times
Christopher Carpenter entered a change of plea last Thursday (October 2), ending a case that started last June after the 35-year-old Olive Hill man turned himself in to an Olive Hill police officer following an incident involving Grayson police.
Carpenter pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a total of 12 years on charges including two counts of attempted murder of a police officer, two counts of wanton endangerment of a police officer, and single counts each of resisting arrest and first degree fleeing or evading police. A seventh charge, of theft of identity – a Class D felony – was bargained down to a misdemeanor charge of giving a police officer false identifying information.
After accepting the change of plea Circuit Court Judge Rebecca Phillips found Carpenter guilty and sentenced him to five years each on the two counts of wanton endangerment, six months on the charge or resisting arrest, another five years on the fleeing or evading charge, and 12 years each on the two charges of attempted murder. Carpenter was sentenced to 90 days on the amended count of giving false identifying information. All of the charges were set to run concurrently, for a total sentence of 12 years.
Due to the length of the sentence handed down, the court chose to waive court costs. Likewise, the court didn’t recommend any fines, and no restitution was required.
Because he was sentenced on charges that include violent crimes, Carpenter will be required to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence – more than 10 years – before being eligible for release.
Carpenter’s ordeal began in the early morning hours of June 10, 2024, when Grayson police attempted to pull him over, resulting in an officer-involved shooting and one of a pair of officers being transported to the hospital after being struck by Carpenter’s fleeing vehicle.
According to reports from the Grayson PD, what began as a routine stop escalated when – after a second officer arrived on scene – Carpenter attempted to flee, striking the first officer with his vehicle. That was when the second officer reported firing several rounds into the vehicle before Carpenter was able to flee the scene.
The police advised the public at the time that Carpenter was considered “armed and dangerous,” and further advised them not to approach him if seen, but to call 911 or otherwise contact authorities – however a weapon was never recovered in the case. Carpenter surrendered to Olive Hill police early the next morning, and was booked into the Carter County Detention Center where he remained incarcerated while the legal process played out.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com
