Williamsburg man allegedly assaults wife, own grandmother

A Williamsburg man allegedly assaulted both his wife and grandmother Thursday afternoon before taking the grandmother’s car and wrecking it about one mile from the residence where all three lived.

Williamsburg Police Detective Bobby Freeman charged William L. Kirkland Jr., 34, of 606 Old Corbin Pike Road, with two counts of first-degree assault, automobile theft, first-offense operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs, and failure to wear seatbelt.

The grandmother, Julia Barton, 68, had to be airlifted from Baptist Regional Medical Center in Corbin to the University of Kentucky Medical Center due to what police called "life threatening injuries," according to a press release.

If she dies or her condition worsens, Williamsburg Public Affairs Officer Shawn Jackson said that charges could be upgraded.

Police aren’t sure about the motive, except that it stemmed from a domestic dispute between Kirklin and his wife and that drug and alcohol involvement is suspected, Jackson said.

"The male subject was under the influence. We believe that was a contributing factor to him being involved in the collision," Jackson said.

"We believe that at some point the grandmother might have intervened, and this is when the male subject put her in harm’s way and assaulted her also."

About 5:36 p.m. Thursday, Whitley County 911 got a neighbor’s call reporting that Kirklin’s wife, Tammy Gadd Kirklin, had come to their residence with a head injury after having been assaulted, Jackson said in a press release.

As Assistant Chief Rick Mosley and K-9 Officer Brandon Prewitt were responding to the scene, Whitley County 911 received a call that a male subject had been involved in a collision a short distance from the residence.

When Prewitt arrived at the scene of the assault, he determined that two woman had been assaulted and needed medical attention, according to the release.

"One female stated that the two had been hit several times in the face and head with a weapon," the release stated.

Both women suffered significant of blood loss from the head area, and serious head injuries, Jackson said.

When Mosley arrived at the accident scene, he determined that the two incidents were connected and that Kirklin allegedly assaulted his wife and own grandmother, Jackson wrote.

During the crash William Kirklin allegedly wasn’t wearing a seatbelt and his head struck the windshield, Jackson said.

Whitley County EMS transported all three to Baptist Regional Medical Center in Corbin for treatment.

Tammy Kirklin suffered a severe laceration to her head and was treated at the hospital.

William Kirklin was treated and released at Baptist Regional Medical Center and was lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center where he is being held without bond.

Jackson said that police recovered the small metal pipe, which was about half an inch in diameter that was allegedly used in the assault of both women.

"We think it might have even been a metal piece off of a vacuum cleaner," Jackson said. "The weapon was recovered and there was a lot of blood on the weapon from both of the victims."

Toxicology tests on William Kirklin’s blood are pending.

The 2007 red Chevrolet car belonged to William Kirklin’s grandmother, police said.

"Detective Freeman is continuing the investigation and further details hopefully will come available very soon," Jackson added. "As the investigation continues, there are more charges possible."