Man arrested for stabbing stepson during argument

Kennth Rich

A Williamsburg man, who allegedly stabbed his stepson during an argument inside a vehicle, is being held in the Whitley County Detention Center in lieu of a $50,000 cash bond.

Kenneth A. Rich, 53, of 961 Craig Road, pled not guilty to a first-degree assault charge during his arraignment Monday afternoon in Whitley District Court.

Judge Fred White scheduled an April 28 preliminary hearing in the case and ordered that Rich wear an ankle-monitoring device if he is released from custody on bond.

Whitley County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Rich about 11:37 p.m. Friday on the assault charge, which stemmed from an incident two days earlier at the junction of Craig Road and Log Cabin Road in the Canadatown community.

Sheriff’s Detective John Hill and Sgt. Brian Lawson were dispatched to the scene of the stabbing on April 16 but all parties had left the area by the time deputies arrived.

Later on April 16, nursing staff at Baptist Health Corbin contacted Hill reporting that Brandon Lyons, 18, of Craig Road, was in the emergency room with cuts and a stab wound that he suffered earlier that day in Canadatown, according to Whitley County Sheriff Colan Harrell.

When Hill got to the hospital, he spoke with Lyons and his mother, Sheila Rich, who told him that Kenneth Rich, Brandon’s stepfather, was driving them to separate locations when Kenneth Rich and Lyons got into a verbal argument about 6:45 p.m., Harrell wrote in a press release.

After the argument escalated, Kenneth Rich stopped the vehicle at the junction of Craig Road and Log Cabin Road. Kenneth Rich told Lyons to get out of the vehicle, but he refused to do so.

"Kenneth Rich then exited the vehicle, walked to the rear door to open it, and was grabbing at Lyons to drag him from the vehicle. It was reported that Lyons then kicked Kenneth Rich in the face. Kenneth Rich then pulled a pocket knife and stabbed Lyons," Harrell wrote.

Lyons suffered a stab wound to the left rib area, a cut to the left wrist and a cut to the left neck area.

Kenneth Rich left his wife, Sheila Rich, and Lyons on the side of the road and drove off, Harrell said.

Lyons had a friend pick them up and take them to Baptist Health Corbin where Lyons was treated and released.

Hill obtained an arrest warrant for Kenneth Rich.

On April 18, Hill spoke with Sheila Rich, who told police that she needed her medication and some clothing from her residence but was afraid to go there alone due to the fact that Kenneth Rich was hiding at the residence and there were multiple guns inside, Harrell wrote.

Sheila Rich, who is the homeowner, told police she would unlock the door for Hill so he could look through the home for Kenneth Rich.

Hill, K-9 Deputy Kirk Mays and Deputy Bo Harris went to the home with Sheila Rich and Lyons, who attempted to unlock the rear sliding door, which was wedged closed from the inside, Harrell wrote.

Sheila Rich then tried the front door but the screen door was locked from the inside.

Lyons then went beside the home and raised a window.

Hill looked through the window and saw a subject walk through a door way inside wearing a gray shirt.

Hill, who believed the person was Kenneth Rich, announced that he was with the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department and ordered the person to stop and come back, Harrell wrote.

"The subject would never answer back or come to any door or window," Harrell wrote.

Hill, Mays and Harris then covered the exterior of the home so that no one could leave through any doors and windows and radioed for assistance from the Williamsburg Police Department for a K-9 search.

"Within moments Deputy Joe Prewitt and K-9 Officer Brandon Prewitt from the Williamsburg Police Department arrived on scene," Harrell wrote.

Brandon Prewitt got his police dog, Rico, out of the police vehicle and gave multiple commands to the person inside to identify himself, but no one answered or came out, Harrell wrote.

Hill, Harris and Mays then forcibly entered through the front door and observed two females and one male lounging in the living room smoking cigarettes, Harrell wrote.

The male subject inside was Kenneth Rich, who was wearing the gray shirt that Hill had observed earlier, Harrell wrote.

Police identified the two females, who were released. Kenneth Rich was then arrested on the first-degree assault warrant and lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center.