By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times
A Grayson woman was arrested early Friday morning after allegedly attacking a man with an axe, then battering her way into the Olive Hill office of the Carter County Emergency Ambulance Service.
Kellie Boggs, 44, of Grayson, was arrested and booked into the Carter County Detention Center on charges of first degree assault and first degree criminal mischief after the rampage.
“She apparently struck the man in the face with a hatchet, before battering her way into the barracks,” explained Olive Hill Police Chief Bruce Palmer.
According to Palmer, the EMS told arresting officer Dustin Allgood they did draw weapons and order her to drop the axe – which Palmer described as a small hatchet or hand-axe – three times before she complied. They held Boggs in their dayroom until officers arrived, then took action to stabilize and treat her unnamed victim. Palmer said he could not speak to the severity of his injuries, but noted the ambulance service planned to life-flight the man out. Weather conditions and heavy fog, however, made that plan unfeasible.
Palmer said the incident was still an open and active investigation and that he couldn’t provide any further details at this time.
“Apparently there was a domestic issue in the apartment behind us,” Emergency Ambulance executive director Rick Loperfido explained.
Loperfido said Boggs told his crew that she was concerned her significant other was following her, and came to the ambulance station seeking assistance. She first busted a large glass window in the garage, thinking that would attract attention. When that didn’t work she busted out the front glass door with her hatchet, crawled through the lower portion, and started screaming she needed help.
One crew was already out on a run, Loperfido said, and the crew on site came out of their sleeping barracks to find her yelling and swinging the hatchet about. He said that was when the EMT, whose name is not being released, drew his personal weapon and ordered her to put the hatchet down.
Despite claims in other news reports that the man she attacked was found in a ditch behind the station, Loperfido said that was not the case. He said the man actually walked to the ambulance station to seek assistance as well. Despite the obvious severity of his wounds, Loperfido said he was awake, moving under his own power, and able to answer some questions.
He said crews treated the victim on site before transporting him to the hospital. Loperfido also confirmed that they initially planned to call in a helicopter for transport, but that weather conditions prevented them from flying.
This is still an open and ongoing investigation. We will update the story online if and when more information becomes available.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com
