Man gets 32 years for stabbing ex-girlfriend 16 times; ordered to pay $188k for her medical bills

Anthony Spicer, who was convicted on July 11 of first-degree assault and attempting to murder his ex-girlfriend, will be on the hook for the victim’s $188,085.48 in medical bills if an insurance company appeal doesn’t work out.

Spicer learned of his restitution amount during his sentencing hearing Monday afternoon in Whitley Circuit Court.

Spicer stabbed his ex-girlfriend, Ashley Warren, 16 times on the night of Feb. 22, and then led police on a nearly five-hour manhunt before being apprehended.

She suffered wounds to her chest, both sides of the neck, in her lung, right hip, right knee, and defensive wounds to her hands and arms.

"The last time he stabbed me, it was in the neck. He told me that if he couldn’t have me, no one would have me," Warren testified during the trial.

The jury recommended a 20-year prison sentence on the attempted murder charge and a 12-year prison sentence on the assault charge and recommended that those two sentences be served consecutively, or one after the other, for a total sentence of 32 years in prison.

Spicer had been scheduled for formal sentencing in September but that hearing was delayed while prosecutors attempted to determine the amount of restitution that Spicer owed because of the victim’s medical expenses.

"They have advised me that the victim in this case has a substantial portion, if not the whole bill, which will not be paid by her insurance carrier because she was referred to U.K. without prior approval," Commonwealth’s Attorney Allen Trimble said last month.

The bill for Air Evac. Lifeteam’s emergency medical helicopter, which transported the victim to the University of Kentucky Medical Center, was $34,000 alone.

Trimble said the insurance’s company’s decision is being appealed and he anticipates it being reversed.

"A curiosity in this case is the refusal of the insurance company to pay the medical expenses on Ashley, which is an explanation of the high amount of restitution amount in this case," said defense attorney Jim Wren. "Whatever the insurance does not pay, he will be responsible for paying."

Spicer had the right to request a restitution hearing where formal evidence would have been given about the victim’s medical bills, but it would have delayed his sentencing Monday.

"I’d like to go ahead and get this final sentenced today," he told Circuit Judge Dan Ballou.

Ballou then proceeded to sentence Spicer to a total of 32 years in prison.

During the trial, Ballou rejected a plea deal that would have resulted in Spicer receiving a sentence nearly half that long because he felt it was too lenient.

Under state law, judges have the authority to reduce a jury’s recommended prison sentence, which is rarely done, but cannot increase the recommended sentence.

Spicer plans appeal his case.

"On behalf of Anthony Potter, I plan to file a notice of appeal as soon as the final judgment is entered," Wren noted.

Wren said one issue that he anticipates will come up during the appeal is the fact that Spicer was tried on both first-degree assault and attempted murder charges instead of just one or the other.

"It was a violation of his Sixth Amendment right against double jeopardy to have him convicted on both," Wren argued.

Wren said he anticipates filing a motion that would allow Spicer to be freed on bond while his case is appealed, but he noted such motions are usually denied.

In addition to the $188,085.48 in restitution, Ballou also ordered Spicer to pay a $450 public defender fee, $130 in court costs, and a $20 arrest fee once he is released from prison.