Man douses wife, himself with gas and threatens to set fire

A Corbin man has been charged with attempted murder and arson after a wild domestic dispute Saturday where he allegedly doused his wife and himself with gasoline and threatened to set them both ablaze.

According to Rob Jones, Public Information Officer for the Corbin Police Department, it all started when a juvenile called the city’s 911 dispatch center to report that her father was pouring gasoline in her mother’s eyes and trying to kill her at a residence on Eighth Street.

Police arrived on the scene and found that Russell L. Knickerbocker, 48, had indeed soaked himself and his wife, Carla J. Knickerbocker, with gasoline. He was pouring more gas around the house when authorities got there. He threatened to set both he and his wife on fire with a lighter, and burn down the house, if officers didn’t leave or decided to use a taser on him.

Firefighters with the Corbin Fire Department were dispatched to the scene and were able to knock Knickerbocker down with a stream of water from the driveway of his house, knocking him to the ground. He was taken into custody and was admitted to the Trillium Center at Baptist Health Corbin for a mental evaluation.

Police secured warrants for Knickbocker’s arrest charging him with attempt murder, attempted arson, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Jones said Knickerbocker was due to be released from the Trillium Center and that officers were hoping to take him into custody at that time.

Officers at the scene included Police Chief David Campbell, Sgt. Rick Baker, Ptl. Jeff Hill, and Ptl. Ken Profitt.