W’burg man charged with attempted murder for shooting at van, causing wreck

A Williamsburg man is now facing attempted murder charges after allegedly shooting at a vehicle Wednesday afternoon causing it to flip with two people inside.

Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird initially charged Charles Eric Lawson Jr., 27, of 2820 Keswick Road, with two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment.

The next day after consulting with Commonwealth’s Attorney Allen Trimble, Bird obtained a pair of criminal attempt to commit murder arrest warrants in connection with the Sept. 8 incident on Keswick Road, according to Williamsburg Public Affairs Officer Shawn Jackson.

About 5:58 p.m. on Sept. 8, Williamsburg police were notified that Lawson allegedly fired several rounds from a shotgun at a passing vehicle on Keswick Road, according to the arrest citation.

The vehicle reportedly flipped six times injuring the vehicle’s two occupants, Glennis Anderson and Sheldon Coffman. Family members drove the two men to Jellico Community Hospital, according to the arrest citation.

"They are lucky to be alive," Jackson noted. "I think one of the victims ended up going through the windshield when it came to a final rest. They good Lord was watching over them."

Jackson said that one victim suffered a broken knee, and another had a broken toe in addition to being beaten up and banged up badly in the crash.

The vehicle was totaled in the accident.

"There is a little past history of violence between the suspect and one of the victims. They live in the same neighborhood," Jackson said. "One of the victims and some of the family had been into it with the suspect before.

"Through the investigation, it was revealed that the suspect was a weapon carrying, gun carrying pillar of the community that always packs a shotgun and a handgun both at all times walking up and down the road. I think he is kind of a neighborhood bully, I guess you could say."

Jackson said that Williamsburg police were in the area working due to some federally funded overtime money, and responded to Keswick Road where they quickly learned from residents that Lawson allegedly fired a shotgun into the passing vehicle.

Police were told that Lawson fled into the woods minutes later carrying a shotgun before police arrived at the scene. Officers then set up a perimeter around Lawson’s residence and attempted to call him out using a public address system, Jackson said.
About two hours later, Williamsburg Police Officer Jason Strunk observed Lawson crawling onto Keswick Road from a nearby creek.

At that time, Lawson complied with Strunk’s commands and was taken into custody without incident.

Officers later recovered a loaded .12 gauge shotgun that was found hidden in the woods along with pistol rounds and magazines that were hidden in the woods located next to Lawson’s residence, Jackson said.

He said that there were several instances in the past where Lawson was charged with offenses related to firearms and violent crimes, but that the charges have always been dismissed.

"He has been charged with attempted murder in the past that was dismissed, and wanton endangerment that was dismissed. It was related with a shooting incident," Jackson said.

He said that Lawson was also charged with arson, burglary and criminal mischief in connection with the burning of a church on the southern end of the county, but that the charges were also dismissed.

"He has been charged with six felonies over the past couple of years, and they have all been dismissed. We don’t know why," Jackson said.

Lawson pleaded not guilty to the wanton endangerment charges during his arraignment Thursday before District Judge Cathy Prewitt, who scheduled a Sept. 13 preliminary hearing in his case.

Lawson was being held in the Whitley County Detention in lieu of a $10,000 cash bond on the wanton endangerment charges.
It is uncertain what his bond is on the new criminal attempt to commit murder charges, which he hasn’t been arraigned for yet.
Kentucky State Police Trooper Les Moses and Williamsburg K-9 Officer Jason Prewitt assisted with the investigation.