Shots fired over stolen weed eater

Corbin Police were called to a residence on West Fifth Street Sunday after the caller reported that he may have shot at a man who had stolen his weed eater off of his front porch.

             Denham

The shooting victim, identified as Kelly E. Denham, 50, of Woodbine, was treated for wounds to the left leg and right forearm, and was taken into custody after admitting that he took the weed eater and later dumped it.

The property owner, identified as Nicholas Parks, has been cited to court to face charges of second-degree assault and first-degree wanton endangerment.

Officer William Stewart responded to the call at 306 West Fifth Street at 1:12 p.m. Parks identified Denham as the person who had taken the weed eater, telling police that he had fled the scene on a bicycle.

“The caller reported that he had fired several shots at the subject and was unaware if he had hit him,” Stewart stated.

Stewart located Denham a few minutes later, walking on Fourth Street.

“When he spotted my patrol vehicle he took off on foot up a hill and onto Bishop Street where I was able to stop him,” Stewart wrote.

While Denham did not have the weed eater in his possession, Stewart stated that he admitted to taking it, telling police that he had hidden it outside the residence at 402 West Fifth Street.

Denham said he had hidden his bicycle on Fourth Street.

Stewart recovered the bike along with the jacket and hat Denham was wearing during the theft.

“Mr. Denham had left several cigarettes in the yard at the Fourth Street residence along with his clothing,” Stewart stated.

Denham was charged with public intoxication – controlled substance, theft by unlawful taking of the value under $500, third-degree criminal trespassing, second-degree fleeing or evading police, and criminal littering.

He was lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center and released Monday after posting bond.

Corbin Police Lt. Coy Wilson, the department’s public affairs officer, said Parks was charged as Denham had left his property before the shots were fired.

“We will take it to the grand jury and let them decide,” Wilson said of whether the case against Parks will move forward.