Knox Co. deputies arrest man wanted for attempting to run over police officer

A Corbin man wanted after a Corbin Police officer was nearly struck by a pickup truck, was arrested Monday in Gray.

Knox County Sheriff’s Deputy Mikey Ashurst arrested 32-year-old Rickie Blankenship on a warrant charging him with first-degree wanton endangerment, first-degree fleeing or evading police, reckless driving, disregarding a stop sign and second-degree hindering prosecution or apprehension stemming from in incident in the parking lot of the Kroger store on U.S. 25E on December 19.

Officer Jeff Hill had responded to the store in response to a shoplifting complaint.

“The guy ran out of the store and jumped into the passenger side of a pickup truck as Hill arrived,” said Corbin Police Capt. Coy Wilson, the department’s public affairs officer. “The driver tried to hit Jeff while trying to get away.”

Wilson later arrested the driver, identified as 39-year-old Brian Phillips of Corbin, after finding him running up the road on Old Barbourville Highway.

Blankenship continued to elude police until Monday.

Blankenship was also served with a warrant out of Laurel County charging him with second-degree wanton endangerment and third-degree terroristic threatening.